Sêl Euraidd
by Winds of Water
Summary: Roy was only seeking a vacation when he purchased a little cottage on the Bay. What he found instead was a love that would forever turn his life upside down. Roy/Ed.
1. Chapter 1

The first thing I'd like to say is that this story right here has been the experience for me in that I have never before written anything like this. I'm not sure that even Bubbles could compare for me. While it is a story on a mythological being, nothing I ever intended to just be a oneshot has turned out this long. Yet I think it needed it. I've broken it into four parts, all will be uploaded at once. Three of the parts are lengthy, but shorter than Love Takes Time, for those of you familiar with it. The last part is somewhat shorter, and I expect you'll understand why when you get there.

I hope you enjoy this story everyone. I'll be back to my main fics now, I just wanted to get this finished and up as it has a special place to me.

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Sêl Euraidd

_There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief… and unspeakable love._

_- Washington Irving_

Roy Mustang stood with dark eyes fixed upon the tame sea, so flat, like azure glass. So serene looking, beckoning… but that was the lie, wasn't it. The promises of serenity the sea laid before man were far too like the water of its creation, slipping through your fingers until all you had as a memory of what you'd once held was the dampness on your palms and the sting of salt in the unseen cuts it left behind.

The purr and cutting of a truck engine outside caused him little pause as he watched the ocean laid bare and distant before his eyes. The knock at the side door even less pause of mind as he absently called that it was open.

"So let's get this – damn, Mustang! How far back did this place set you?"

The black-haired man in question didn't shift from where he was slumped elegantly against the frame of the patio deck doors that were thrown open to welcome in the warm sea breeze. "Not enough." He muttered, not really caring if he was heard.

It had sounded like a rhetorical question anyway, and sure enough his best friend, Maes Hughes, didn't miss a beat in his ovations.

Maes was currently having a face-off with a wooden statue of a seal that was nearly as tall as he was. "It needed a better interior decorator."

Roy bristled at the words, tearing his gaze away from the décor in question and blindly staring back at the ocean with hard eyes.

"Why are you selling it, anyway?" Maes asked, unaware of the hard set of Roy's shoulders.

Roy's eyes slipped closed against the painful wrench inside that threatened him with the tears he'd promised he'd never shed. "Doesn't matter." The words even tasted flat in his mouth, and sudden inspiration drove him over to the table along the wall where the decanter of port sat waiting for him.

Maes frowned as he watched Roy toss back not one, not two, but three shots of the alcohol in succession without so much as a blink. "So…" his mind stumbled in circles as he searched for a way to ask what was clearly wrong and not to get his head chewed off.

A likely occurrence if Roy Mustang was suddenly downing port like it was water.

"Oh for fuck's sake just get the boxes so we can start packing and I can get the hell out of here!" Roy snapped at him, the hand nursing his fifth glass of port shaking somewhat.

He watched as Maes gave him a calculating look before turning to go back out to the truck to get the boxes in question. His head tipped down with a sigh – Maes wasn't offended, they both knew each other better than that. But he cursed himself for giving the man a reason to pry later on.

One thing was for sure… he was going to need another glass of port.

As he idly poured it he found his eyes drawn to the wooden seal, arching up out of hewn waves with graceful curves and large playful eyes. His own eyes slipped closed once more as he felt his heart seize painfully in his chest.

"At least… you're free…"

**X**

_Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore, And coming events cast their shadows before._

_- Thomas Campbell_

…_One month prior…_

"New to town?" The bartender asked as he passed a frosty beer bottle across the countertop.

Roy snatched the beer up, the chill of condensation sending a ghost of a shiver up his arm. "Just this morning." He took a hearty swig of the stout brew, a curl of warmth spreading inside him despite the chilled nature of the drink.

"Sight-seeing?"

"Living, actually." Roy answered and swept his eyes briefly about the bar – and its floor littered with peanut hulls – before turning his attention back to the person speaking to him. "I bought some two room cottage down by the bay."

The bartender looked more than intrigued. "Ah, the old Aldridge place. Nice couple they were. It's been vacant for almost two years now, thought it'd never get sold. Everyone 'round here is always looking for the fancy big houses on the beach."

"It needs some fixing up." Roy shrugged, "nothing some nails and paint won't take care of."

"What brings you there in the first place?"

Roy's fingers had absently started peeling and plucking at the label of his beer as he directed his gaze to the shelves of neatly arranged alcohols in their shiny bottles. "Needed a change of scenery for the summer. Needed to get away from everything back home and find some measure of peace."

The bartender hid a smile, "so you buy a cottage on a bay right as tourist season is about to start up?"

Roy laughed, "well, when you put it like that…"

"Good luck." The bartender chuckled and inclined his head politely to excuse himself to attend to another customer when he paused and looked back at Roy as if just remembering something important. And really, he was. "Rona bay?"

Roy's head tilted to the side a fraction, brow furrowed as he attempted to recall… he shook his head suddenly. "No. Seolh."

The bartender's lips pursed a moment before he said quietly, again, "good luck", and walked away, under his breath whispering, "the tides are warm."

Roy had to wonder if he was imagining the sudden sincerity of the normally throw-away phrase. But as the bartender immersed himself in his job, Roy immersed himself in his beer.

Later that night Roy had gotten his hands – quite literally – on a redheaded girl of slim proportions and enticing curves. He wasn't sure what her name was, and he wasn't entirely sure he knew what _his_ name was… all he knew was that she was the tangible fire of alcohol, and that fire would be his tonight.

From the moment he brought her back to his place and they fell into an enthusiastic tangle on the bed, he knew nothing more.

And when the small cottage filled with cardboard boxes and two twice-wasted individuals fell silent, the ocean continued to creep upon and fall away from the deck with the timely rushing of waves. The ever-warming currents beckoning to more than just the humans who would soon gladly clog the shores in search of sun and surf.

_...Two days later…_

A satisfied groan escaped Roy as he sat back with an air of accomplishment. That had been the last piece of Tupperware to store away in the cabinets. In fact, it had been the last piece of anything that he still needed to unpack and put away. He was officially done moving in, and he felt that earned him a beer and a trip down to the beach he'd been pointedly avoiding until now.

He knew temptation when he saw it, and he knew that if he'd gone down to the beach before he had finished unpacking, he'd never unpack at all.

So grabbing himself the required and well-deserved beer, he headed down to the beach in nothing but his pair of abused khaki cargo shorts. He really didn't care one way or the other how he was dressed, he was seeing a lot of people running around on what was in theory his front lawn in far less.

If it weren't for the fact that this was like watching the opening scene to a porno for free and in real-time, he'd be wondering how difficult it was to purchase the beach of Seolh Bay and turn the entire area into his private property. As it was… he would tolerate the general near-nakedness. Difficult though it would be. He couldn't help but snort at the thought as he thumbed the cap off his beer.

And so he settled for handing out more than a handful of appreciative looks, one of which caused a jogger to run right into a toddler and create a general appearance of disarray on "his front lawn", and he ambled his way down to the surf until his feet reached the cooler, wetter sand.

He was never _not_ in the mood for snatching up a date or three, and on a beach like this with so many tourists he couldn't foresee a shortage of loose, unattached women. Or just loose women in general. But as he couldn't foresee a shortage, he'd rather the beach for right now.

Let the population work themselves up a bit before he snatched them up to enjoy that pent up fire.

"And this is _exactly_ why I left." Roy drew in a lungful of the salty sea air and breathed out in satisfaction. Taking a long drink of his beer he couldn't help but smile as the tepid ocean current rolled up over his feet to steal away the sand on which he stood.

Yes… this was exactly the vacation home he had needed.

With a refreshed spring in his step that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the incoming waves kept sweeping the sand out from under him, Roy began to amble his way along the shoreline with his beer and a smile.

The entire remainder of the day he spent out there in the surf. Only having gone back to his cottage for sunscreen, a sandwich, or another beer. It was mindless relaxation, and heaven on earth only knew he needed it. Plans were for tourists, letting his mind drift on the waves was all he needed.

Especially after a day intimately spent with Tupperware.

He was strolling along the dark, wet sand as the tendrils of darkness began to dim the bright sunshine of the tropical paradise. His hands were empty of beer for once, shoved without similarity into the uppermost pockets of his khakis, and his eyes rested not on the sea for once, but the trees beyond the shore.

Once both their shade and the beach had been clogged with tourists; now the seagulls-without-wings were riding the currents back to hotels, leaving the beach to their feathered kindred and the locals.

It was one such local that hailed him not two miles from his cottage, around the far bend of the bay which also happened to be the point where other homes began. There was oddly no other living structure in the bay parameters itself aside from his cottage. Not that he minded the privacy.

"You just moved in, right?"

Roy stopped, eyes picking out the man who was now crossing the dryer sand towards him. "I did."

He was a stocky fellow, ocean-weathered skin and a toothy smile. A glance behind him showed a woman and several children of varying ages, and approaching them what looked to be another family.

"Name's Howard." He said, sticking out his hand welcomingly.

"Roy." Roy replied, shaking the hand dutifully but with no lack of sincerity. "You're a neighbor?"

Howard gave a bit of a nod, "that I am." And he glanced over his shoulder, turning sideways to the bonfire that was just beginning to crackle to life at the hands of who was probably his son. "You want to join us?" He jerked a thumb towards the scene, "we were going to have a bonfire barbeque with the Masons'. They live a bit farther up the beach."

Roy hesitated, watching as the proposed Masons' arrived and began chatting things up with Howard's family as red plastic Dixie cups changed hands.

"Don't be shy." Howard laughed and began to walk back over to the gathering. "You just moved in, I doubt you're in any condition to be saying no to a meal and conversation."

Well… the man had a point there. Roy hadn't done any shopping for real food yet, having survived off of beer and sandwiches purchased from a convenience store since he had arrived. That being said, he buried his reluctance for the getting-to-know-you human contact he'd come here hoping to avoid for at least a week longer, and followed after Howard.

After all, if a man wanted to live in seclusion, he chose a city or the timberland, not a beach.

And so it was that Roy was officially inducted into the locals who resided nearest Seolh Bay. He met Howard's wife Rachel, and children Stephen and Jane; and the Masons', Bill and his wife Lucia, and their daughter Brittany.

A burger was added to the flames of the bonfire for him, and that was the final stage of the acceptance ritual.

"How are you liking it so far?" Rachel enquired of the newest arrival as she passed him the standard issue Dixie cup.

Roy took it with a nod of gratitude and settled back into the beach chair he'd been offered. "So far? Very much."

Bill studied him over the rim of his Dixie cup, vaguely sloshing the liquid inside. "Where'd you live before this?"

"On the mainland, landlocked, and concrete parks." Roy revealed with a slight grimace. "I definitely needed the change." And he glanced over his shoulder to where the ocean now rolled in to the backdrop of an inky sky and rising moon. "Needed somewhere more peaceful, even if there are tourists darting about most of the day."

"So you've not heard the stories?" Rachel asked in what seemed to be honest shock as she leaned forward to check on the hamburgers.

"Rachel." Howard's tone was clearly reproving of the topic.

"Oh hush, Howard." Rachel smirked at him. "You grew up with the stories, I can't help it if you're tired of them. But Roy here is new. And everyone deserves to hear the stories about a place they move to."

"And a place like this always has them." Lucia remarked with a fond seeming smile.

Roy frowned and took a contemplative sip of his beer before answering. "Can't say I know what sort of stories you're talking about."

"Kids –" Howard started up.

"No way!" Brittany declared in unison with Jane. Stephen on the other hand rolled his eyes and got up to leave, muttering something about "not this rot again, I'm out of here".

"The stories about the selkies of Seolh Bay." Rachel whispered in as gossipy a tone as a female could manage.

Which said something about the woman, as she was also manning the barbeque.

Roy frowned even further at the word, head tilting to the side and then up again as he mulled the word over in his mind. Selkie… selkie… it rung a dusty bell in the back of his mind, but he couldn't seem to recall what they were. "Haven't, no." He replied slowly and then stared at her. "Selkie?"

"Definitely a city boy." Lucia laughed.

"Trust me," Howard piped up, "nonsense the lot of it. You'd be better off believing tales about mermaids, and that's what these women will feed you if you let them."

Rachel rolled her eyes, but winked at Roy. "It's the time of year to watch out for them. The currents coming in are warm this time of year."

Roy still felt no more enlightened than he had, if anything he felt more perplexed. But any chance of asking the woman for clarification fell to the wayside as Bill and Howard loudly redirected the conversation to fishing, much to the disappointment of the women.

But Roy sat and ate politely, allowing and answering questions, asking his own, and in general participating only as need be in the conversation. Quite honestly the clinchers to his coming had been the meal, not the conversation. Though he would have been lying to himself if he denied he wasn't interested in this selkie thing.

What the hell were they again? Howard had said something about mermaids… but he was fairly certain despite the blanks he was drawing that selkies were not mermaids. So what then? Other purported sea-dwelling beings that were a lure of lust dreamt up by fishermen whose eyes weren't what they once were?

It seemed likely given the clear delight the females had shown towards the topic and the disinterest of the men. Worthiness issues, much?

Roy carefully hid an indulgent smirk.

Howard and Bill had gone up to Howard's place to get more beer when the chance to clear up some of the confusion presented itself. And Roy was quick to pounce.

"I'm sorry, but what is a selkie, exactly?"

Rachel was not the only one of the female party who seemed to perk up after the mind numbing effects of listening to regaling tales of fishing.

"They are seals said to be able to shed their skins and become human."

Roy's deadpan reaction was not untypical. "Seals."

Rachel nodded.

Lucia smiled at him encouragingly, "we grow up here hearing tales about them. Seals that come to shore and shed their skins to bathe under the light of the sun or moon."

"And they're supposed to be beautiful!" Brittany piped up from where she was sprawled on her stomach across the sand.

"Yes, both the men and women selkies are said to be quite enchanting in appearance. Thus their appeal to humans." Rachel added in an almost offhanded way. "And ability to seduce."

"But they'd still be seals." Roy pointed out, operating clearly on theory here and by no means believing the idea. "I never thought that… an animal?" He tipped his head briefly in the direction of the two pre-teen girls.

"We know _all_ about the stories, Mister Mustang." Jane snickered.

Roy wasn't quite sure how to take that, and spent a moment staring at the girl uncertainly.

"They are both." Rachel waved a hand dismissively. "To become human, they shed their skins. To return to their form as a seal, they just put the skin back on."

Roy couldn't help but think that were this all true, selkies in a human form would be quite short. "That's rather… bizarre. Putting a skin back on. Not to mention carrying around a sealskin would look a little out of place."

Lucia nodded, smiling a bit. "One of the reasons their skins shrink to become smaller, until the time comes that they return to being seals. In all the stories, the theft of a selkie's sealskin comes at the price of enslaving the selkie."

"Enslaving?" Roy was beginning to wonder just how much more bizarre this was, or these purported creatures were.

"Holding the skin gives the holder power over the selkie. Has to follow orders, things like that. And as long as a human holds the sealskin hostage, the selkie is bound to human form." Lucia explained.

Roy wasn't sure he at all liked _that_ idea. "The things drunk sailors think up."

"Don't be a spoilsport!" Brittany reprimanded from her place in the sand. "It's fun to think that things like that exist out in the sea."

Roy tipped back the rest of his beer in answer.

Rachel meanwhile had turned her gaze toward the ocean. "It's said they come in with the warm tides… but I've never seen one. And nor has anyone else… even foolish girls who go to the ocean and shed seven tears." She jerked her head 'round to stare meaningfully at a suddenly embarrassed and giggling Jane.

"Seven tears?" Roy questioned, unable to help himself.

"Supposed to work for females, so the stories go." Rachel shrugged. "Shed seven tears and a selkie will come to you."

"Usually as a lover." Jane giggled immaturely as Brittany made a shocked noise.

Roy was suddenly glad he was far done with high school.

Lucia rolled her eyes at her daughter and her daughter's friend before looking at the ocean pensively. "The last story of selkies in Seolh Bay was two hundred or so years ago. Back then they used to be in great number, so the tales go. "

"What happened to them?" Roy couldn't help but ask. In theory still of course! Even as a kid he'd never courted such fantasies, he wasn't about to start now. But this was far more interesting than fishing stories.

"No one really knows…" Lucia gave a soft sigh.

Rachel's smile turned a bit sad. "Back around that time there was a lot of seal hunting occurring. For meat, and oil, and their pelts. I remember reading about it in history class… it always made me so sad to think that maybe all those seals weren't really _just_ seals."

Roy stayed only long enough for another beer and to finally eat his hamburger, mind idly processing the selkie lore he'd just been imparted. It wasn't much really, just enough to start anyone's mind into the realm of creative imagination and suppositions. And he wasn't about to even _go_ there. So he didn't reflect on it too hard, allowing the alcohol to further dull his senses that were already being calmed by the background music the ocean provided.

Some of them had fallen asleep by the time Roy departed their company with handshakes and smiles and well wishes. And he made his way down the beach back towards his cottage, once again traveling down the wetter strip of sand to feel the water lick at his feet.

If anything it helped ensure he was awake enough that he wouldn't pass out in the sand. He really hadn't lived here long enough to get away with that.

He was just about to turn up to the dryer portions to reach his cottage when he paused and looked out towards the ocean with a quizzical tilt of his head. "Seven tears huh…" the waters were still tepid, even this late after nightfall… the warm current. Suddenly he shook his head with a laugh and sauntered up the beach towards his cottage. "Selkies, as if."

The warmth of the ocean current appeared not to share his doubts as it continued to flow into Seolh Bay once more.

**X**

_The cure for anything is saltwater - sweat, tears, or the sea. _

_- Isak Dinesen_

The following day Roy woke with a spectacular headache involving spears of deliciously acute pain, and blurred, sparking vision. It made the trip to the bathroom an eventful one, especially when he discovered that one of the walls he'd stumbled into had once had a large hole in it that had only been glossed over with thin pressboard and a coat of paint.

Only after he managed to pick himself out of his own cottages' insulation was he able to make it to the bathroom at last, and subsequently up the number of aspirin he swallowed down dry.

Needless to say, as he stood there with headache slowly fading and hands on his hips, he was not pleased. There was now a gaping hole in his wall where there had not been one earlier, and this meant that he would no longer be keeping his self-made plans to spend the entire day on the beach – he'd planned to make good on Howard's offer to allow him the use of a jet ski.

Now he needed to visit the hardware store again.

And so with more than a little grumbling, Roy trooped out to his very manly _thank you very much_ bicycle with attached basket and set out wearing his pride high about his collar. What? He needed that basket! Bicycles didn't exactly come with trunk space.

…damn it.

Pedaling into town he left his bike against the wall of the hardware store and entered feeling just a bit sullen about his morning being ruined by his wall. What idiot building inspector didn't catch something like that? One thing was for certain, when he felt more awake he was calling the realtor and giving the vapid creature a piece of his mind.

Brushing off the offer for assistance Roy stalked his way about the store buying the things he'd need to repair the wall. Including some more insulation to replace what had been knocked out all over his floor when he'd had to remove himself from the booby-trap.

"Adding on a small addition?" The clerk asked unwitting of just what had spurred this shopping trip.

The smile Roy gave him was borderline sadistic. "Yes, a funeral pyre for my realtor and her incompetent underlings."

It was the fastest that Roy had ever been rung up at a register, and as he loaded his bicycle basket high with his wall repair supplies he felt that this 'funeral pyre' explanation merited further study and therefore practice.

He then biked back to the cottage to give the wall back as much pain as it had given him.

And he grumbled to see that though it was barely two hours past dawn, the beach was already beginning to fill. He did wish he could be right out there with them, out on the ocean today preferably … but as it was he parked his bicycle up against the cottage and hauled in his purchases without a second look to the sea and its visitors.

Only once he had grabbed himself one of the last remaining sandwiches did he get to work yanking free the ruined portions of the wall. Insulation was replaced, new sturdy boards affixed into the support beams with a nail gun, and paint was applied in three coats – despite knowing it was a lost cause to get this new paint to match the more faded shade of the rest of the cottage.

Two hours later and he wiped the sheen of sweat from his forehead with the hand holding the paintbrush, not caring if he got more paint on himself in the process. He'd have to take a shower and change clothes as it was, he was covered in insulation debris, cedar dust, and paint and primer.

At least laborious though it had been, it had been more agreeable than whatever he would have done were he back on the mainland. Even fixing his wall seemed like a vacation compared to the constant hectic life he'd led there.

Sometimes it came as no wonder to him why he drank so much.

He snorted wryly, it was hardly the most prominent reason… but he didn't want to think of what was. No, some things were better left on the mainland for good. He needed this vacation, to get away from it all. To remember that he was still young and this was no time in his life to be exposing himself constantly to coronary inducing situations.

Wiping more sweat from his brow before it could settle into his eyes he set about cleaning up from his home maintenance project, and then dumped himself into an ice cold shower that smelled faintly of salt… but everything smelled like salt this close to the sea.

Seven minutes later Roy was feeling refreshed, and was free from all paint that he could reasonably see. And as he was going straight down to the beach after visiting Howard to borrow that jet ski, he didn't bother much at all with toweling dry after his shower. Only pulled on his swim trunks and grabbed the sunscreen before heading out the side door.

Only to head back a few minutes later to grab the beer he'd forgotten.

Eventually he did arrive at the home he vaguely recognized in daylight to be belonging to Howard and his family. Not that he needed to worry that he was at the wrong place, because as soon as he reached within what seemed to be the customary twenty yards of "private property" around the homes on the beach, Jane was flying out the screen door to greet him enthusiastically.

"Mister Mustang! You came back again!" She delighted as she dashed down the porch steps to trot over to him.

Roy smiled at her nervously, there was something about the way the girl was eyeing him right now, and the enthusiastic way she'd greeted him that made him think that perhaps he needed to make up a story that he had a girlfriend. "Hello, Jane. Is your father home?"

Jane's face only fell for a moment before she was smiling brightly again. "Yeah, what's up?"

Roy had never really understood that expression… it seemed rather obvious to anyone with eyes what was above them, but he had long ago given up trying to understand teenagers these days. "Came to borrow that jet ski he offered to loan me for the day."

"DAD!" Jane hollered over her shoulder before smirking at Roy. "Off to find selkies?"

He really didn't understand women for that matter either. "Pardon?"

"You know, selkies." And here was where her gaze turned disapproving. "Beautiful women?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "I think not. I don't believe in such myths, I only wanted to talk about them last night because it was more interesting that your father's fishing stories."

Despite herself, Jane had to agree with that. "You sure _you're_ not a selkie?" She suddenly frowned, looking him over. "Now that I see you during the day you're rather handsome. Male selkies are supposed to be as beautiful as the females."

"If I were a selkie, I'd not appreciate being called beautiful." Roy informed her, and was only too glad to sidestep the girl when Howard came out of the house.

"Ah, Roy!" Howard greeted cheerfully, and waved him forward. "Is Jane already trying to latch her claws into you?"

"Dad!"

Roy chuckled at her indignant yell and raised his beer-free hand in a submissive gesture. "I assure you that if she were she's far too young for me. And I like living, Howard."

Howard nodded sagely and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man. Now about this jet ski…"

It took both Roy and Howard to haul the jet ski down to the water on its wheeled trailer. But once they had Howard grabbed the attached rope and spike and went to anchor it into the sand while Roy drug the trailer out into deep enough water that the jet ski began to float. It was sweaty work, but worth it – at least in Roy's opinion as he'd be the one enjoying the fruits of their joint labor.

"Just make sure to watch out for the reef on the north tip of the island!" Howard called from the beach. "The coast guard will laugh and take their time rescuing you if you get caught up on one of the corals!"

Roy waved as he stuck his beer into the drink-holder and swung himself astride the seat. "Will do! See you later!"

And Roy revved the engine to life as he heard Howard call out for him to have a good time, and then he was motoring the watercraft out across the waters of the bay and towards open sea as the island began to shrink behind him.

"I hope you told him not to suck any selkies up through the motor." Jane told her father as he sauntered back up to the house, her eyes on the ever diminishing figure of Roy Mustang.

Howard groaned as if in true pain. "You're as bad as your mother. Selkies do not exist. They're as real as Santa Clause."

"Santa's not real?" Jane gasped dramatically while rolling her eyes.

**X**

Roy was currently slowly motoring around the coastline about a mile out. Seolh Bay was to his left, and what he understood to be an area of coast belonging to a national park to his right. Even from here he could see the trees looked thicker off in that direction, and there appeared to be several sheer cliffs.

"…might have to go hiking one day." Roy mused to himself as he set the jet ski engine to idling. Reaching forward he grabbed his beer and tossed back another mouthful only slightly cringing at the faint taste of seawater underneath the brew.

One thing was for certain, he'd never need worry that he wasn't getting enough salt in his diet this summer. Sunscreen on the other hand…

Abandoning his beer he fished out the bottle from the Velcro security of his swim trunks and flipped open the cap. Squirting a generous amount of the thick cream he rubbed himself with it as liberally as possible in all the areas he could reach.

He had fair skin, and he knew that the lobster look was one that he wasn't looking to pull off.

Once the sunscreen was tucked securely back away Roy's head tilted to the side a moment as he thought. And then in a sudden executive decision he cut the jet ski's engine. The sea was calm right now, and out this far there were barely any waves at all, the water not yet reaching the breakers out this far.

Which meant he was comfortable abandoning the jet ski a moment and knowing that when he resurfaced it would not be far at all from where he'd left it.

Which was fortunate, for he didn't want to explain to Howard that he'd lost the jet ski.

"Hope there's no hungry sharks." Roy muttered as he swung one leg over the seat so he fully faced the water. And as he dove in headfirst he couldn't help but bite back a laugh at the thought that he would probably have a better chance of seeing a selkie than having a shark attack him in this part of the ocean.

And true to thought, there were no sharks nor selkies underneath the water.

There was nothing.

A great expanse of nothing but clear blue water, distorted only by obscure white films of unknown origin. It was easy to see in all directions, up got brighter, down got darker, but to all sides there was blue.

It occurred to Roy that this part of the area around the island was probably not the ideal location to be finding fish or such things. There were no coral reefs out in this direction, and the only thing ahead was the bay; a bay which was constantly being disrupted by swimmers, jet skiers, boaters, and the like. Not exactly idyllic grounds for marine life to willingly venture into.

Satisfied that there were no sharks, Roy surfaced to breathe, sweeping his wet hair back out of his face and looking around. No fins… he was good.

This was exactly what he needed, open ocean without the risk of running into toddlers. He would worry about picking up loose women later tonight. Right now was for the fulfillment of a different need. And so he set out swimming about through the water for purely the feel of freedom and singularity it gave him.

There was nothing quite like being alone in the ocean to bring peace and perspective.

He spent more time under the water than above, just cutting his way through the water and relishing in the burn it put on his muscles. Fitness gyms just never quite measured up to the real resisting power of nature at its finest. And when he took a rest, more often than not he was below the water once more, just relaxing into the blue embrace that no longer stung mildly at his eyes. It was so easy to just hold his breath and float, letting the water soothe and wash away every care he ever had.

At one point he believed he saw a fish or five out further into deeper water, but he wasn't sure. He didn't linger to find out either, inspired to go try and see some marine life now. There was something about the shadows of the unknown that drove a man to wanting to see it for himself… _now_.

And so he once again kicked back to the surface, sweeping wet hair from his face and stroking over to where the jet ski floated not far from him. It took a bit of trial and error to figure out how to mount the thing once more from the water, as initially it kept tipping towards him precariously, but manage he did.

Roy Mustang was not to be outwitted by a jet ski after all.

Once aboard he livened the engine back up and then pointed the watercraft northward. He'd avoid getting the jet ski caught up on the coral reefs, but he wanted to see them.

As coral reefs were popular sightseeing destinations for tourists, Roy was unsurprised to find several groups of snorkelers who were under the direction of their respective tour guides. He gained a few curious looks, and far more appreciative ones before he circled the jet ski back out more towards open ocean to "park" it out of the way of the reefs.

The water was a bit choppier here, this close to the coral reefs, but it would not present undue hazard and leave him with no choice but to call the coast guard and suffer their delight at his predicament.

Not caring for, nor needing a snorkel mask, Roy cut the engine before diving cleanly into the water as is. He could hold his breath long enough, secure enough in his own swimming ability not to feel the need for a breathing tube.

Once he'd swum in far enough he came up to take a breath, ignoring the people who were watching him curiously before diving under the surface and kicking his way down much farther than the tourists so he could view the coral and fish that were suddenly dancing before his eyes without the interference of other humans nearby.

Whereas the open ocean where he'd been before had been nothing but clear blue in all directions, here the coral reefs made a vibrant display against the blue waters, making them almost seem washed out in comparison to the fiery reds, blazing oranges, stark greens, and other colors of the coral.

And that wasn't even counting the fish.

There were hundreds… no, thousands of them. Teeming in tightly knit schools that flashed silver, red, yellow, blue, every color imaginable. Or lone fish wandered aimlessly, no less a rainbow to behold. Starfish and seahorses were not absent either, nor the sea urchins or clinging plants.

A miniature world contained in just a small part of another.

For some time Roy swam about the reef, trying to determine the exact extent of it in between surfacing for air and checking to be sure the jet ski had not drifted too far.

But as the day grew longer, so did the coming tide out to sea come sooner. And while the tourists had already departed at the point in time a nurse shark made an appearance and they lost their nerve despite the shark's relatively harmless nature, Roy had stayed. But nurse sharks were one thing, the coming tide was another.

So he turned from his sightseeing of the island that he'd claimed as his summer home and began swimming back through the water towards the jet ski. When he reached it, it didn't take him half as long as it did the first time to get back onto it. But he didn't set back out for Seolh Bay straight away.

Instead he sat there dripping wet, looking around at it all.

Yes… this had been just what he'd needed today. Sure there'd been a slight hitch with a spontaneous wall repair, but the better part of his day had been spent out pushing the jet ski to its limits across the ocean, the exhilaration of the wind and the surf splashing up around him. And then the calming effects of just being in the ocean.

Perhaps it seemed too simple, too silly… but it was what he needed.

With the lateness of the hour however, Roy started the jet ski back up and headed it back towards Seolh Bay to make it in before the tide got tricky this far out at sea.

When he pulled into the bay it didn't take him long to find where Howard had anchored the trailer for the jet ski, and it seemed that he wouldn't need to handle dragging the thing back up to Howard's place on his own, Jane was running down the beach to help… he wasn't sure whether to be pleased it was her.

"See any selkies?" She asked laughingly as she helped Roy with the jet ski.

How had Roy known that that was where her thoughts would immediately go? "Not even a seal. Quite a lot of fish though."

"You were out there a while."

"Sometimes a man just needs to be alone in the sea." Was Roy's vague reply, and the two of them buckled down to working on hauling the jet ski out of the water so they could haul it to the house.

Once they had succeeded he was beginning to sweat again, and was more than happy to depart for his cottage after thanking and then politely declining Howard's offer to come over for dinner in two hours. He wanted a shower, a hot one, dry clothes, and a greasy meal at the bar where he could pick up some company for the night that wasn't family oriented.

And so he trekked off across the relatively hot sand to his cottage as families began to fold up their umbrellas and haul in the inner tubes of children.

**X**

_My choice was to go there and find him beyond all people. _

_Beyond all people in the world._

_- Ernest Hemingway_

The sea current was warm, sensuously warm. The way the water caressed over his skin was bliss. What other current could be as loved, as faithfully traveled and called home as this one? The sounds of other sea life and of his kindred not far behind was a gentle music on the slowly rushing flow of the current that guided them towards Seolh Bay.

A place where the delights of land and the humans who walked it coupled with the hazards of his existence. But centuries of life did not go wasted, nor did the occurrences of the past go unrecognized.

They too, were creatures of adaptation… and cunning.

He heard his friends, his family call out to him. Call out to him that he was going too far too swift, and too far towards the east. Seolh Bay was dangerous. But he knew this, and let the current take him as it would. For something deeper ingrained in his soul called out to him louder… instinct.

And instinct thrummed through him with every pulse of his heart, sending him forward. Knowing that this was right… this would be okay…

Despite the increased risk of emerging before nightfall and the sleep of man, he would not suffer a consequence. He was, after all, two hundred and thirty-six years old. He knew a thing or two about survival and cunning.

When the warm current released him into the bay he swam on, the voices of his kindred no longer in his ears. The voices of the other sea life growing fainter. He pressed on, keen eyes piercing through the murkier water of the bay, so distorted with sand. He was growing closer to the shore, which meant he had best put his tricks to use.

He found his target in the shape of a man just floating there on the surface about five feet above him.

An interested chirp trilled through the water as he circled vertically upward in classic curiosity. This man was about the right size, and he was hanging onto a surfboard it looked like. Yes, it would do nicely.

Large golden eyes filled with a playful light, another chirp leaving him as he gave a sharp snap of his tail to catapult up through the water with the speed of a barracuda's deadly strike. But his aim was not to kill and feed… it was the man's swim trunks.

Before the human could have possibly registered what was happening, he'd grabbed the trunks in his teeth and yanked them off the poor human who'd lingered in the water too long.

But now he had camouflage. And he swam off quickly, a series of cheerful and celebratory trills echoing in his wake.

Over two centuries of life, he knew better than to feel bad for stealing a human's clothes in order to blend in. And as far as any of his kind were concerned, the humans deserved it. Survival of the most intelligent species… and he'd certainly won that round.

Swimming into a portion of the bay farthest from where he could feel the ripples of human activity he finally slowed to a stop. A quick check of the water depth let him know he'd be just fine, and without a second thought, he transformed.

Human shape always came naturally, though secondary it was.

His head was just above the water for necessary breathing purposes, and the swim trunks were released from now human teeth and into the very helpful hands the species came equipped with. A bit of ungainly stumbling and he managed to hike them up, soft curses leaving his lips regarding humans not being at all fit for grace in the water.

However, satisfied that he looked as normal as any other beachgoer he could now see as he glanced around, he began to haul himself out of the ocean. No one seemed to notice that he had by all respects come out of nowhere with a pair of swim trunks in his teeth.

"Blind race." He muttered under his breath in a voice that retained just the barest hint of the musicality of his true voice.

As he reached the beach, no longer embraced in the ocean in any amount, he looked around calmly. People had noticed him by now, but their gazes reflected nothing that he should be wary of. Nothing beyond simple passing curiosity, or in some cases appreciation.

The latter was so typical, so expected, he might have rolled his eyes. But as it was, his attention was soon captured by the sight of the surfer whose swim trunks he'd stolen emerging from the water.

It was proving to become quite the spectacle, but with a faint smile he shook his head and continued up the beach. He'd rather not hang around and be accused of theft. The less direct attention, close attention he received, the better. Most of these people may be tourists, but he was willing to bet that some locals were in attendance.

And he knew better than to see if they might come to the correct conclusions about his heritage based on the stories.

A quick, darting glance down reassured him that not only was his most treasured possession safely where it should be, but now almost completely concealed by caked sand from walking through the stuff. That suited him just fine.

He had to wonder, as he trekked up the beach, why exactly instinct had ushered him to Seolh Bay… it was quite unorthodox. A definite alteration from routine. But, he knew that the currents would not be moving on for at least two months. He had time to figure it out.

For now though, he was quite keen to find a bar and see if bartenders still knew how to make frozen daiquiris… they had been his favorite around one hundred years ago. Which had in fact been the date of his last venture into a place actively populated by humans.

And now that he was back among them, his craving had returned.

Which caused him to wonder which he liked better, frozen daiquiris, or a nice juicy salmon who put up a good chase.

It was a question he puzzled as he made his way further into human domain, but despite the track of his thoughts he remained vigilant about watching the humans. To his eyes, it seemed as if the race had become rather blind and clueless in only a century… but that suited him just fine. Even so, he would be a fool to drop his guard.

Finding a bar overlooking a beach that was quite close to Seolh Bay and the warm currents that were his home, he happily noted that it was filled with plenty of tourists – many dressed as he was. Tourists were the safest breed of humans.

So feeling cheerful about that, he made his way over to one of the many tables open in a corner of the room, away from the view, near the employee exit. Putting his back to the door and his front to the humans he marveled at how much shorter bar stools were at tables like these as compared to those one hundred years ago.

But being rather short himself, it meant he didn't have to climb.

"What can I get for you, dear?" Asked a middle aged woman who looked to be of native decent to the island, and she held a pad of paper while fixing him with a kindly smile.

Smiling back at her, he hoped for the best. "Frozen daiquiri?"

She wrote it down with a nod, and internally he celebrated, they still knew how to make them!

"Anything to eat?" She enquired of him, looking back up from her notepad.

Doubting that they'd give him a whole raw, still living fish, he shook his head. "No, I'm fine, thank you." Which was something of the truth, he had eaten this morning, a tuna that had been part of the group effort of wrangling up some food. And he didn't require much to eat, not in comparison to humans, and his human form maintained that quality.

"Sure thing, dear. I'll have your drink right out to you."

He watched her leave with a faint smile, he'd have to watch out for her despite her normal interest in him. She lived on this island… and she'd be keeping an eye on him every so often because of his status as a customer. He had to be careful.

When his drink arrived he barely remembered to smile and politely thank the woman before he turned to grinning at the simple looking drink. Dipping a finger into the cold slush of it he licked the moisture off with a happy shudder and a delighted trill.

He loved frozen daiquiris!

**X**

Roy really had no preference as to which bar to frequent tonight. Not seeing any difference in it. Either way he'd manage to find someone to accompany him back to his place for the night. So he turned his steps towards the nearest one that he knew of, only paying half a mind to the island police that were parked out on the beach. According to the chatter he was picking up as he walked by there'd been some sort of incident regarding a nude surfer…

What a pity he'd missed _that_ one.

He continued on though, sand kicking up under his bare feet and hands shoved into the pockets of his khaki shorts. It was shaping up to be a warm evening, even though the sun was still lowering towards the horizon, and he was beginning to consider loosening the last three buttons on his shirt.

They were still buttoned though by the time he let himself into the bar, believing that the temptation of still mostly concealed chest would only work in his favor.

Now he looked around, eyes instantly taking inventory of the potential companions for the evening. He had done a full sweep of the bar, or so he thought, when his eyes caught a flash of gold hidden away in a corner.

Sitting conspicuously alone at a table practically hidden away, was a young man who couldn't have been older than twenty. Golden blond hair that was still clearly drying from a dip in the ocean cascaded around tan shoulders and blocked the full view of an almost aristocratic face. He was shirtless, miraculously so, for there was no reason to hide _that_ toned and tanned body beneath anything.

Search over.

Roy gave himself a once over, brushed a hand back through his hair just to be sure of its appearance, and without further ado strode over to the bar first. He needed a drink after all, one could not appear too hasty.

"What is he having?" Roy asked the bartender, tipping his head towards the blond.

The bartender looked, smiled a bit, and then looked back at Roy. "Frozen daiquiri of course. Just because the current is warm does not mean the feel of ice is unpleasant."

Roy gave him a quizzical look. "On the contrary, I think it would feel rather nice."

The bartender laughed and motioned to the blender filled with ice. "Am I to assume you're wanting two? I've been keeping an eye on him, he's nearly done with the one he has."

Roy nodded absently, glancing towards the blond again. He didn't frequent the men as much as the women, but this one… this one looked like an angel. A damp, sandy angel. And he was not about to pass this up, the chesty women also in the bar weren't quite as alluring when compared with him.

The bartender soon returned with the two frozen daiquiris. "It's all going on your tab, so you know."

Roy blinked, where else would it be going? "Naturally…" and giving the bartender an odd look he turned to make for the table where the sandy angel sat running a slim finger down the condensation and looking delighted.

Just how many daiquiris had this guy had so far?

…Roy didn't care enough to not give him another, and so he walked up purposefully.

But his approach was not about to go coyly unnoticed, and before he knew it that head had jerked up to train shockingly gold eyes on him. He barely smothered his startled reaction. He'd never seen such eyes before, not on anything but a wild cat at the zoo. But this was no wild cat. And those eyes glittered with a molten fire as dangerous as the sun as they pierced into him.

"I did not ask for another drink."

It took Roy a moment to register that the golden-eyed angel had spoken, and when he had he wondered if he was imagining the slight musical chime to the words.

"I thought you might need another… and that I might be able to join you." Roy finally replied, berating himself to get a grip. Just because he'd never seen golden eyes before did not mean he was going to let his game slip.

The golden eyes narrowed in consideration, before one hand waved to the empty seat.

"So what's your name?" Roy asked as he sat down, passing one of the daiquiris over.

"Edward." Came the unhesitating reply. He, like all of his kind, had two names. One for below the sea, and one for above. He had been named after a king of old, one whom his mother had fell in love with despite the barriers. But humans had not been long lived in those days, and the king had died… never knowing he'd fathered a child.

"Roy."

Edward stared at Roy as he slowly slid the new daiquiri closer to him. He knew why this human was here, and while he didn't like it, he couldn't help but feel that this one would be easy to slip away from, and clearly had not a clue of what he really was or there'd be more than just common lustful interest in those dark eyes. "My gratitude for the drink."

That, and it was beneficial to have someone who'd be easy to slip away from at the table to indicate he was not up for being engaged by anyone else. Especially someone who might not be quite as clueless about his heritage.

Or were humans finally evolving into beautiful beings themselves, such that he did not seem entirely out of place? No longer a visual siren to the humans of the world? Sea help the sirens themselves if humans ever learned how to sing any better.

Looking at this human here before him, he couldn't exactly find much wrong aesthetically with the man. He was quite charming, but he was still a human. But at least the human race looked like it had hope in the looks department. When he'd been a pup he'd never been too sure that they had a chance.

"You're welcome." Roy smiled and relaxed back casually, making sure that his shirt slid open in the right way. "You here alone?"

Well! Humans certainly cut to the chase now, didn't they! He hadn't even finished the gifted daiquiri yet. He slid his gaze away from Roy's chest and back to the dark eyes as he raised the daiquiri towards his lips. "Aside from yourself, yes."

Or unless his family and friends decided to come ashore here as well. Unlikely… they never came ashore among lots of humans these days unless absolutely necessary.

"Do you live around here?" Roy asked, sipping on his daiquiri idly.

Edward snorted softly and shook his head. "I'm more what you would term a gypsy. I do not enjoy the thought of being bound to any one place for very long." And he turned his gaze away from his drink and onto the man across from him.

That sat perfectly well with Roy, he was only looking for one night anyway. Despite how temptingly beautiful Edward was.

"And where is it you're from?" Edward asked before taking another sip of the daiquiri, barely stifling the happy trill that wanted to escape him at the flavor and feel of the coldness.

"I have a place here." Roy shrugged, but more than willing to milk it for all the romance factor it was worth. "Down on the beach."

Edward tilted his head to one side, "but you're not from here."

"No." Roy agreed, "but what makes you say that?"

"Mainly, that you are too fair skinned to have lived here long." Edward pointed out. "And you said, 'I have a place here', which implies that you have not been here long at all."

"Right on all counts." Roy sighed but smiled. "But tell me why someone like you travels alone. No family or friends, no girlfriend or boyfriend?"

Edward didn't even blink as he replied quite calmly, "for the same reason you left your friends and family at your other home. You needed to, for a reason they could not understand… but deep down, you know it is what you need… need to do."

Roy could barely help the urge to stare at the blond. He was positively one of the oddest individuals he'd ever met, and was beginning to wonder just how much of an open book he himself was. He'd thought he was fairly good at masking himself.

"You said you live on the island now?" Edward didn't seem to have noticed Roy's off-balanced moment.

"Yes." Roy confirmed, glad to have something less surprising come his way from the blond's end of the table.

"Where?"

Roy was beginning to wonder if this meant victory was imminent. "Not far, just down the beach. A cottage on the far end of Seolh Bay, nearest the national park."

Edward's fingers stiffened around the daiquiri, and he drew in a steady breath before raising it to his lips and finishing off the last of it abruptly. "Seolh Bay?"

Roy nodded, taking note of the sudden disappearance of the drink. He took it as a good sign. "Would you like to see it? Have another drink at my place?"

Edward looked at him sharply now, and then smiled disarmingly. He had to get out of here. Now. "Just one more round here? And then I'd love to see it, I'm sure it's got a wonderful view."

Roy was agreeable to that, and knowing that he had his company for the night secured, he excused himself from the table. "I'll be right back," and he winked, "don't go anywhere, gypsy."

Walking off to the bar counter, he waited for the bartender to notice him. As the man came over he wasted no time. "Two more please, and the bill."

The bartender made sure that the employee exit door had been shut for a good three seconds before he replied with genuine curiosity. "I'd have only one at a time if I were you. Else the other will melt before you get to it, as I assure you if you try to down it in one swallow you'll have a spectacular brain-freeze."

Roy blinked in confusion, "I'm not drinking them both by myself. I didn't strike out."

The bartender glanced over Roy's shoulder. "You sure about that?"

Roy's head snapped around so fast that it was a miracle his neck didn't break, and his eyes widened as he saw the table was vacant. The only thing to show that Edward had once been there was the two empty daiquiri glasses.

"Need something a bit stronger than a daiquiri?" The bartender asked casually.

Roy swore under his breath before scowling at the bartender. "No. I'm sure he's just in the bathroom."

The bartender nodded, "you're probably right. I'll hold off though on the daiquiris until he returns, shall I?" And as he watched Roy return to the table he'd once shared with the blond, he smiled wryly. He wondered how long the man would sit there before he realized that the man he'd thought he was flirting with successfully really wasn't coming back.

"You sure he was one?" The middle-aged woman who'd first attended to Edward asked as she stepped over to where the bartender now polished glasses.

"Nearly positive beyond a doubt." He replied calmly. "Best keep it to yourself though. They have as much a right to enjoy a peaceful vacation as anyone else. It would not do to subject them to a reappearance of what is little more than a past riddled with tragedy. It took centuries for them to be actively forgotten… to destroy that hard won peace in a night would be cruel. And a bartender," and he glanced at her meaningfully, "and his staff, keep the secrets of their customers."

She nodded slowly, knowing he was right. "But a sel –"

"Quiet." He hissed at her.

"Care to explain why you think he was one, despite the fact that he was definitely a looker?"

"I'm straight and even I thought he was attractive." The bartender sounded oddly comfortable with that revelation. "But the currents are warm, he was short for his age, and he ordered frozen daiquiris. There are a million other things if you are trained to look as hard as bartenders are to discern the moods, backgrounds of their guests."

She chuckled softly, "he sure slipped away handily enough."

**X**

Edward had wasted no time in fleeing the bar as soon as Roy's back had turned, and nor did he waste any time hurrying back down towards Seolh Bay. At this hour it was relatively easy to slip out of sight past a rock outcropping on the beach and splash into the water.

Once he was deep enough that only his head remained just above the water so he could breathe, he slipped off the stolen swim trunks and let them float on top of the sea before transforming back out of human form.

The transformation had sent him below the surf, but he darted up to snatch the swim trunks in his teeth and pull them under as he swam further out into the bay. Back into the warm current's embrace. It was there that he located a thicker grouping of rocks where several fish were trying to settle in to sleep, but at the sight of him they fled.

Which was fine with him.

Bobbing back up to the surface he took another breath before pelting back down, swim trunks still in his possession. It took him only a few minutes to secure the swim trunks in the clasp of the rocks, assuring him of a continued disguise for however many times he'd need to go back onto shore.

For even now the current and his own instinct was trying to send him back further into the bay… back to the beach.

But what for? He couldn't understand it. A confused chirp escaped him. What could possibly be at Seolh Bay that instinct and the ever faithful and loving current urged him to find?

The image of Roy flashing before his eyes caused him to bark in alarm, and in turn resurface for more air before he choked on seawater.

Leaving his head above water, but being sure to keep an eye out for humans coming close enough to see him, he shook his head to rid himself of the image. It was just a coincidence that Roy had recently moved to Seolh Bay! To a cottage he could vaguely make out in the distance from here whenever the waves went into a lull.

He couldn't see any reasonable reason that Roy, a human, would be a good enough reason for going on shore again. Much less a safe reason, especially considering where he knew the man's mind was.

Roy wanted nothing more than sex.

Edward huffed, causing the surface of the water to spray at the disruption, droplets finding a home on his whiskers. He would dare risk being called old-fashioned, because in reality he was. The last time he'd been on shore among humans there had been something humans did called _courting_. And besides… just wanting him for sex?

It was the curse of their existence all over again but in another form. They were more than just shapeshifters to be called upon for carnal gratification! And he wouldn't be the outlet for that if he could help it.

He certainly would not willingly sleep with Roy, too many risks involved… and no love.

Perhaps that was old-fashioned now too, love over lust.

Giving an irritated bark he dove back under the surface and swam out against the wishes of the warm current into open sea. He needed to find a fish to eat or a dolphin to harass. He'd come back in the morning before dawn and start over.

Because he absolutely refused to believe that Roy was anything but a coincidence. Things just were never that simple when you were a selkie.

**X**

Roy woke up at dawn the next day feeling grouchy as well as insistent that the replacement he'd found for his original fraternization goal last night go ahead and get herself out of his cottage. Which caused him to be more than a bit snappish with her, and even when she'd gone haughtily, he didn't feel any better.

He wasn't sure what it was about Edward ditching him last night that had him this worked up, and he could only assume it was because he'd never been turned down before.

Never!

Only to be turned down last night after a perfectly lovely day – aside from the tumble through the wall incident – and he'd been ditched by no less than the physical embodiment of the sun.

He could no longer think of Edward as an angel. Would an angel leave so abruptly and thus cause him to have to pay for _his_ tab as well by pure association? He still didn't agree with the bartender on that one, and felt sure that the man had been laughing at him for some reason that he had a suspicion had nothing to do with his being ditched.

If this was what getting turned down by sudden up-and-vanishing acts felt like, then Roy decided he hated it.

Scowling he stomped to the shower, and tried to put thoughts of Edward, golden hair, and eyes like the sun out of his mind.

He was feeling moderately better when he finished with his shower and had dressed not for the water, but for a morning jog. It was still dimly lit out, dawn not quite past, and he felt in need of a run before anything else, if only to work off the rest of his mood.

So grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator he set out into the gathering light.

The feel of the harder wet sand under his trainers and the coming runners high was doing much to lift his spirits, and he only went faster. The morning was already warm, but a breeze blew in from the bay as he rounded about it steadily. Several times he nearly trampled seagulls, and was forced to duck as they dive-bombed him in retaliation, but otherwise the way was clear, and he went unbothered.

He actually had a smile on his face as he finally turned up from the beach and headed into town at that same jogging pace. He knew he really should get around to shopping for food, as he was down to his last sandwich and two beers at home.

The general store wasn't big, it didn't need to be in a town the size of this one where there were more farmers market type things than anything, but he didn't have the cash on him needed for those. He'd only brought his credit and ATM card when he came here, and hadn't yet withdrawn funds.

Aisle by aisle he pushed the cart whose right front wheel shook ominously with every inch gained. And the horrendous squealing noise it made only grew worse with every package of food he added to the cart. But he was not about to cut his shopping trip short just because the cart was as ancient as the store itself.

Bread, vegetables, fruits, beer, meats, eggs, more beer, spices, seafood, and toilet paper all came together in his cart along with every cleaning supply item he had run out of when he'd cleaned through the cottage before he moved all his things in.

"Somebody just moved in." The cashier noted with a laugh as he began to ring up and bag the items for purchase.

Roy smiled faintly. "I bought a summer home here, and decided that I can no longer live off beer and questionable sandwiches from the convenience store."

The cashier, nametag reading 'Mark', chuckled. "You've no idea how questionable, but still they're good in a pinch."

"I get the feeling I don't want to ask." Roy remarked dryly, watching as yet one more brown paper bag was filled with his groceries.

Mark shook his head with a bit of a grimace. "No, definitely not." And he too glanced at the number of bags, about to total four he expected, by the time he was done. "You going to be okay to carry all this back? You don't live far I hope."

Roy shrugged, "it's no problem. I've carried worse. Besides, what's a little challenge before lunch?"

"A challenge all the same."

Roy smirked and had to accept the truth in that. When his bill was finally totaled he paid and allowed Mark to help him get his arms around all the bags, precarious as it was.

Mark seemed to be enjoying the sight at the very least. "Next time you need to do a major shopping spree come back around one o'clock. I change shifts with my sister and could help you out, I wouldn't even charge you but maybe…" he grinned and tilted his head in consideration, "a beer."

Roy smiled back and appeared to consider it before giving up theatrics, these bags were already feeling heavy. No time to waste with flirtations, and he nodded. "I'll remember." And he was about halfway to the door before he looked over his shoulder. "Name's Roy."

"Mark." Was the cheery reply, and Roy was waved out the door.

As Roy staggered back to his cottage with his groceries he was smiling. Today was definitely looking up. From the very beginning it had been ten times better than yesterday. No falling through walls, and it certainly wouldn't end with someone named Edward ditching him at a bar to make him look like a fool.

By the time Roy caught sight of his cottage he couldn't have been more relieved. The groceries only got heavier every step, and now he had to walk through deep sand. He was not about to take a rest now.

He was at about the halfway point when he overheard a man ask his wife if she knew where his flip-flops had been put, and that he couldn't find them. Not an attention-worthy event, until about twenty yards later he overheard a man who was by himself exclaiming that his shirt had gone missing.

Roy came to the conclusion that the seagulls were learning new tricks, and he'd best be on the lookout.

He reached the cottage without hearing of further incidents, and experiencing no clothing losses himself. And he set the bags of groceries down with a groan of relief, taking a breather before he began to sort the bags out and put things away.

A few hours later Roy had made himself a real breakfast, put more beer to chill in the refrigerator, and exited the house in search of the sea to relax him after his trek this morning.

Well, the sea translated into a beach chair he drug out to "his" area of the sand around his home that the tourists still seemed to acknowledge as turf they were not allowed to cross over, and popped the cap off of one of the original beers that was already nice and chilled.

Flopping into the chair with a small groan, Roy let himself relax back and take a sip of his beer as he watched the waves begin to come in. He was hoping to see some surfers be wiped out at the very least.

He had been watching for not more than a third of his beer when he nearly choked on the brew. There, walking along the damper spit of sand between bay and beach, was Edward.

He had a shirt on this time, and was dry, but it was him.

And he seemed… frustrated.

But Roy didn't care about that, all he cared about was that suddenly his irritation was back, and rapidly downing the last of his beer in a single breath he shot out of his chair and took off across the sand to intercept the little terror.

Oh yes, Roy could see now exactly how tall, or lack thereof, Edward was.

Forgetting about Edward, forgotten.

He waited until he was within ten feet of the blond who was moving at a fairly good clip across the sand before calling out to him snappishly. "Edward!"

Edward startled and whirled, golden eyes narrowing and then widening as they landed on Roy. "Him…" he murmured under his breath before edging a bit closer towards the ocean. Even if there were many people around, no one would see if he transformed after diving under the water. They'd suspect he just swam off, and in a fashion, that's exactly what he'd do.

"Where the hell did you run off to last night?" Roy berated him as he came up to the blond, not caring about making a scene in front of the children nearby, it was how incensed he was.

Edward raised his chin, his shoulders set defiantly as he looked up at the man who easily towered over him. But he was used to it, most humans were taller than he was. There was only so much height as a human he could gain when he had a seal body to contend with too. "I had an emergency come up," he lied smoothly. "I didn't have time to explain, and I certainly won't apologize to you. I'm sure you didn't look very long for me."

Roy might have felt kicked had his irritation about the event not been so great. Truth was, he hadn't looked for Edward at all. "I did wait… almost an hour." He admitted, and it was the truth. Not that he was proud of seeming so, desperate.

"Waiting means something." Edward remarked calmly. "Something… but not a lot. Passivity is hardly an admirable quality when pursuing someone for what your intentions were last night."

"I'd just met you, I'm not about to look desperate!" Roy hissed at him.

Edward arched an eyebrow, "so what do you call this, then?" He asked, waving a hand between them. "Chasing down a beach after me and subjecting me to the third degree?"

"I call it –" Roy shook his head to forestall those thoughts, "no. You know what? This is ridiculous! I shouldn't care, at all. So I don't. You're the most infuriating man I've ever been cursed to meet."

Edward snorted, not caring to point out that he wasn't in fact, a man. At least not in the human terms that Roy meant. "And yet, there you still stand." He wasn't sure why he was taunting Roy, but he was. It was bringing him some strange satisfaction to rile the human up.

Roy glared at him and turned away. "Not anymore. Besides, now that I get a good look at you in the daylight you're hardly as enchanting. Somehow last night you seemed… taller."

Roy got only a few feet before he felt something mildly hard connect with the back of his head, and he gave a short-lived cry of surprise as he whirled about.

There on the sand lay one of Edward's flip-flops.

"I can't help my height!" Edward snapped as he stalked forward towards Roy with every intention to retrieve the flip-flop he'd stolen from some poor sod who'd left his wife of all people to guard his clothing against selkies in search of camouflage. It was almost sad how easily the flirting had worked to distract her.

"Tetchy one, aren't you." Roy chided as he watched Edward blindly fit the flip-flop back on. "I know you're about the size of a child, but please don't act like one."

Edward glared at him furiously. "You're one to talk. Just stay away from me from now on since I am so visually displeasing. I daresay we'll both appreciate it."

Roy glared right back as the blond turned and stalked away from him, "good riddance." He didn't dare think about the fact that he'd been the one to ultimately start whatever strange fight they'd just had, choosing to blame it on hot-headed blonds.

"You know," called an elderly woman who was sitting on a large beach towel underneath a striped umbrella with her husband, "you'll never win him back that way!"

Roy tried not to glare at her, "he was never mine." He growled under his breath, and looked back towards where Edward had been stalking off to, only to blink in confusion.

The blond was gone. But to where? There wasn't exactly a crowd of people anywhere on the beach that could hide that blond hair, no matter how short the man sporting it was.

Telling himself that he didn't care, he turned to stalk back to his cottage.

From a goodly distance off the coast, Edward watched Roy go back to a homely-sized cottage and flop into a chair. Huffing his displeasure at having been discouraged back to the water so easily by one man he ducked back under the surface before he was spotted.

And against the clear wishes of both the warm current pushing him back towards the bay, and the pull of his own instinct in the same direction, he swam towards where he knew he'd find his family and friends.

Perhaps once he rejoined them all of this would go away, because there was clearly nothing there at Seolh Bay for him.

It didn't take him long, and with barely an effort he slipped out of the water and onto one of the many rocks his kindred were sunbathing on. In both seal shape and human shape. But no matter which shape, he was greeted happily, and he returned the greetings with just as much relieved cheer.

Using his flippers to propel him forward, Edward slipped across the rocks to join his mother where she was cleaning her whiskers in between shooting him relieved looks.

"_If you feel you're lacking adventure, Aur, we can always go find a shark. Or an orca." _She chirped to him in their own melodious language.

Edward, known as Aur by his kindred, turned reproachful golden eyes on her. _"You are nearly eight centuries old, mother. You shouldn't even be thinking of such dangers as fun at your age."_

"_Why did you go among the humans?"_

Aur let out a whistle of breath that as a human, would have been classified as a sigh. _"The current beckoned me, and instinct told me it was okay. That I should go. But I found nothing waiting for me there but an infuriating coincidence of a human."_

Aur's mother seemed to hold a frown in her eyes as she looked at her pup. _"And you departed before knowing why exactly you were called upon to be there?"_

"_It wasn't a summoning. It didn't, doesn't, have the same sway over my will. Even if it had been something like that, we all would have felt it. I was not so far ahead… and one of the others would have gone. One who enjoys being the fulfillment of their selfish wishes."_

"_This human has infuriated you more than once."_ It was not a question.

"_Yes. He has carnal desires, but did not summon me. He does not appear to know that I am not the sum of my appearance."_

"_He has been the one constant you've found since walking among the humans?"_

"_Yes."_

"_You do not share his… carnal desires?"_ She asked, a soft barking laugh being poorly stifled.

Aur gave a horrified sounding yip which only served to make his mother more amused at his expense, and his whiskers twitched in annoyance of it. _"Mother! He is handsome, but not at all for me. He is a human, and I am afraid of… I do not share the bravery you showed with father. And he does not like me, we fought just before I came here. But even were I brave, and we had not fought, he's… infuriating!"_

"_Stay here a while and enjoy the sun, but do not feel too surprised if sooner than you think, you find yourself back in the Bay. Instinct is not so easily ignored, Aur. You are old enough to know that not everything about us has to be about beauty and sex. You can only see what transpires."_

"_With that human it is."_ Aur replied and lowered his head onto his drying flippers.

Her whiskers twitched in amusement before she lowered her head to butt against his affectionately. _"Then hope you are right, and he is just coincidence. Look harder. You are smart, I know that you'll understand when the time shows itself." _

"_Am I meant to understand why I feel compelled to the Bay, and the current guides me there?"_

"_If you were, you'd not be here now."_ She pointed out and stretched languidly in the sunlight. _"But tears are not the only powers on this planet that can compel our souls. Stronger forces always exist… even if they do not work against our will."_

"_He could not compel me even if he shed tears." _Aur mumbled sleepily, his golden eyes drifting closed. _"I'd happily let one of the more promiscuous of the pod go to him in my stead."_

Aur's mother watched him fondly, whiskers twitching in a seal-like smile as her son began to drift off to sleep. So… a human… like mother like son, she supposed.

**X**

Roy dared not go back to that bar of the night before as the sun began to sink below the horizon. Instead he settled for what barely qualified as a tiki bar and ordered himself a vodka martini, extra dirty, with extra olives. From a vendor pitching shop on the tourist populated sand he bought a questionable hamburger and made his way along the beach in search of a place to sit.

He found it in the shape of a small sand dune, and settled in with his martini and hamburger to stare out at the sea as it was painted with the sunset. Last minute boaters and jet skiers were getting in their last hours before dusk and a late dinner. Families soaking up the remaining time by gradually ushering the children in from the water.

It was still a bit early to go find someone to keep him company for the night, so he may as well watch the sunset.

And so he did, until both martini and hamburger were gone, and the sky was growing swiftly darker. Only then did he get up, brush the sand off of him and head in towards the single tourist venues.

To do so meant he had to pass by that bar from the night before, but he merely shot it a grudging glance and continued on. He wasn't about to buy more drinks there from that bartender with a sadistic sense of humor.

He was just about to round the corner when a flash of gold at the edge of his peripheral vision caused him to whirl around.

But the door to the bar swung shut, closing his view off from whoever had just entered. He paused, mind conflicting against itself as his eyes narrowed. A part of him, the part that wanted easy ways out of everything suggested in a convincing voice that it could have been any blond… but that other part of him couldn't help but wonder…

Even if it was Edward, he should walk away. Now. They'd not parted nicely earlier, and he was not looking to be further humiliated in this bar by the blond.

So why the hell was it that he suddenly found himself standing in front of that door?

He cursed under his breath, and yanked the door open to step inside. He ignored all others as his eyes instantly gravitated to the far wall, the corner table, and when he saw who sat there he knew he should have turned and left. Immediately. But he didn't.

Ignoring everyone else in the room he strode over to the table without pause, and further ignored the startled and then suspicious look he was given by a pair of hauntingly gold eyes as he sat down without invitation.

"You owe me a drink, I've decided."

Edward sat back on his stool, shoulders stiffening. "Is that right?"

Roy nodded abruptly, "I was forced to pay your own tab last night. So one drink on you now."

"And this is the charming way you seek to further indulge yourself in my company?" Edward asked him flatly, everything inside him resisting and balking against the idea that Roy showing up _again_ meant anything.

And blocking out what his mother had said at that.

Roy smirked and relaxed back. "I see no reason to apologize for anything I might have said, considering you ran off on me without bothering to even say 'bye'. No matter what the emergency, it's only polite."

Edward hummed, and took his gaze from Roy to smile at the middle-aged woman who brought him his drink and a small plate of sushi – no rice involved however. "Thank you."

"Is that all?" She asked kindly, trying not to shoot a suspicious look towards the dark-haired man who was back again. She was wondering how easily the selkie would be able to get away this time.

Edward glanced at Roy then, a smile playing on his lips. "Whatever he'd like, on my tab of course."

Roy's shock went unmasked, and he slowly gave his order without taking his eyes off Edward. And when the woman had gone he gave the blond a suspicious look. "So easily?"

"Perhaps we should start over." Edward sighed, and then took up his frozen daiquiri with a delighted smile and sipped at it with a happy shiver.

Roy stared transfixed at the odd sight, he'd never seen someone enjoy a drink so much. Especially something like a frozen daiquiri. "Start over." He deadpanned, staring still.

Edward nodded as he set the drink back down and then ran a finger through the condensation with fascination. "I do not enjoy being solicited for meaningless onetime sex. It does not make me feel valued in the least. So take your drink, and leave. As far as I'm concerned, we're now square, and I do not wish to associate with such a shallow man further."

Roy actually felt his jaw slacken at the boldness of that statement. "Was that emergency excuse complete fabrication then?" He asked with the beginnings of anger. "You just ran out on me for –"

"Maybe you'll learn something from it." Edward cut him off. "Go solicit someone else."

Roy didn't move. His mind once again waging war with everything that he'd nurtured himself to be. To whit, a one-night stand type of guy. One who was now confronted with someone who left him so perplexed, annoyed, and intrigued, and it had never happened before in his life.

In fact neither of them spoke again until Roy's drink arrived, only staring hard into each other's eyes. Finally after taking a sip of it, Roy found his tongue again. "Why do you enjoy those frivolous frozen daiquiris so much?"

A question which shocked them both.

Edward blinked, and absently picked up a piece of the raw tuna to munch on as he considered the human through narrowed eyes. "I spend so much time in warm climates, that it's nice to feel the cold for a time."

It was that answer, not a brushing off, that caused Roy to more firmly plant himself on his stool. "You said start over, right?"

Edward nodded slowly, suspiciously. "…yes."

Roy nodded as well, before sticking his hand out over the table. "Roy Mustang."

Edward frowned at the hand, not taking it, and his eyes darted back up to Roy's. "What are you doing?"

"It's only polite, surely you must have learned this greeting somewhere in your gypsy travels." Roy chided with a small teasing smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"I'm not stupid." Edward growled, and reached out to clasp Roy's hand. "But don't think you'll win me into your bed this way either."

Roy smirked, "you're supposed to respond with your name."

Edward glowered at him, jerking his hand away and took a sip of his daiquiri before responding. "Edward." And he tilted his head as he watched the human cautiously. It still didn't seem as if Roy had any interest in him that would suggest the man knew what he was. "And I will not fall for this."

Roy shook his head. "No. I know you won't." And he held up a hand to stop whatever retort was about to leave that suddenly open mouth. "You think if I'm half what you seem to think I am, that I'd care about it so much as to trick you into it? No. Not when I'm faced with you. I could easily go get plenty of others and never think about you again. Only every time I turn around you're there…" he shook his head in frustration and looked hard into golden eyes. "I wouldn't be wasting my time except for the fact I can't seem to escape you, or get you out of my head."

"As if there's any way to prove that." Edward pointed out, but did not try and cut the man down.

"No." Roy admitted, giving him an almost apologetic look. "No, there's not. Which is why this really fucking sucks."

Edward found himself laughing before he could help it, "for us both. You're handsome, Roy." He said honestly. "But one day we'll both be gone from here, and we'll be just fine without each other. And I will never be the type to willingly jump into bed for just a night."

Roy tipped his glass towards Edward before taking a drink, and then standing up from his stool. "It was nice to meet you, Edward."

Edward watched Roy make his way back over to the bar, and chuckled under his breath to try and convince himself he wasn't disappointed Roy had left – for that was unsettling a thought to be sure –, before turning back to his frozen daiquiri and sushi. He found however that he could only pick at it, so distracted he was by his thoughts.

He wanted so badly to believe this was a coincidence, that Roy was a coincidence. But was it really? Nothing else had been a constant since he'd come here. Just him…

Shaking his head Edward sighed, he still had time. Time enough for other things to happen, and by the sound of Roy's goodbye, he wouldn't be seeing the human again. Which meant coincidences over, and now the true reason could appear.

Taking a rather lengthy sip of his frozen daiquiri he tried to feel pleased about the occurrence.

After all, there was no way he could let Roy get close to him… even dare risk himself in the hope that Roy might develop more than just lust for him. Humans were dangerous, the past was evidence of that. If Roy were to ever learn his true heritage… his heart trembled at the thought.

To lose his freedom was akin to death in his eyes.

And why would he hope that Roy would develop more than lust for him anyway?

It couldn't be Roy that he had been guided here for!

Edward slammed the drink back to the table, not minding that it sloshed over the edges. He only grabbed the rest of his sushi to eat quickly before hopping off his stool and shoving his way out the employee exit.

The bartender had watched covertly as the selkie seemed to become suddenly angry and storm out. He'd been keeping half an ear on the creature anyway, just in case. He wasn't sure what had made him so angry, but for once, it didn't seem to be the dark-haired man named Roy.

In fact, it seemed that they'd parted peacefully this time.

Glancing over to where Roy was sipping his drink alone at the bar counter he noticed with relief that the man didn't seem to have taken notice of the selkie's departure. Good. He only hoped that the selkie was okay.

When Roy noticed that Edward was gone, he was unsurprised. He only smiled faintly, trying not to mind the twinge of disappointment that he had pretty much said goodbye to the blond. He knew Edward would expect to be left alone now.

It was for the best, really. Getting attached to someone here, someone he knew to be a self-proclaimed gypsy, would be a bad idea. But it still didn't stop him from feeling inexplicably disappointed and ordering another drink.

It wasn't like he'd want anything more than one night anyway.

Roy left the bar alone that night.

**X**

Four days passed, and Roy saw neither hide nor hair of Edward.

That perhaps could have been because he was avoiding the area near that bar, and even the beach of Seolh Bay. He'd instead spent the time either inside the cottage finishing decorating it, or exploring the other parts of the island including a day long hike through the national park.

And every day when he went to bed not having seen Edward, he told himself it was a good thing. That soon he'd forget completely about the blond. But the thing was, the harder you tried to forget about someone, the more they began to haunt your thoughts. And that was no less true for Roy.

By the seventh day, Roy could no longer take it.

Even if he didn't speak to Edward, he at least had to see him. And so he spent the entire day combing the beach and the area nearby the bar for the head of gold hair. But by dusk he'd turned up nothing at all.

So with no other option left, and the desire to see Edward as strong as ever, Roy began to trek back towards that bar he'd seen the blond in twice before. It seemed reasonable that Edward would go there again.

Meanwhile already inside the bar…

Edward was sitting at his customary table for the evening, having pleasantly discovered that it was being saved for him with a 'Reserved' sign, which he found highly odd since he never paid for anything. But he could catch no ill will from either bartender or waitress who treated him pleasantly each time.

So he settled in to wait for his frozen daiquiri to appear while looking around at the clientele of the evening. A large group of them appeared to be in the midst of celebrating a fellow's birthday, and he watched them until his drink arrived.

With a contented trill he ran his fingers through the condensation, shivering pleasantly. Once he'd stroked away the moisture he picked the drink up and began to slowly indulge in it.

Oh to have a nice live salmon _and_ this… it would be heaven.

"He seems happier tonight." The waitress remarked to the bartender with a smile as she passed by him.

It was true, though the bartender was beginning to notice where she did not that the selkie only cheered up once he got his hands on a daiquiri. Ever since that night the selkie had left in anger, he'd come back each consecutive night looking distracted and unhappy.

And he had to wonder…

That man Roy hadn't been by since then either. It seemed strange and almost unlikely, but he couldn't help but wonder if the selkie was waiting for the dark-haired man to show up again.

But for right now the selkie had cheered up, the daiquiri a never failing elixir to give a selkie happiness.

Said selkie was about halfway done with the frozen daiquiri, and pulling it away he glanced about the room again. The party was still underway, a bunch of locals unless his eyes failed him. That was more than enough incentive for him to keep a close eye on them. Drunk locals could prove hazardous if their inhibitions slipped enough.

Had he known just how potentially hazardous, he would have left then and there. And really, he should have known.

He had finished his first daiquiri, and was onto his second when one of the girls of the party wandered over to him, followed loudly by one guy and then a second.

The first guy drawling, "last time I saw him he was with a man, give it up."

Edward's eyes narrowed, and he set his drink down carefully. If he couldn't easily get rid of this bunch and send them on their way, he'd get the hell out of here. This wasn't the first time he'd been approached by drunks in a bar.

"You should come over with us, join the party!" The girl said as she flopped against Edward's table. "You look so lonely over here by yourself."

"She means she wants to jump you." The second guy smirked at Edward. "You're gay though, right?"

Edward drew himself up to his full height, which was not much even sitting on the high stool, but it was something. "I do not wish to join your party, nor answer questions any of you have no business asking me."

"Don't be such a stiff!" The girl berated him, and snatched his hand in her two to make to pull him off the stool. "You're too pretty to be so snobbish."

"You're just not his type." One of the guys laughed, Edward had lost track of which one it was.

He was too busy slapping the girl's hand away. "I said no." He growled, golden eyes flashing in rising anger. "You all are drunk."

"Not drunk enough yet." The same guy replied laughingly.

"Come on already, you can sneak off in a minute but she won't let you out of her clutches until she gets her way." The other guy laughed and snatched Edward by the wrist to give him a firm tug.

Edward tried to smother the flash of unease he felt at those words… gets her way. _No_! "Don't touch me!" He snapped, and tried to jerk his arm back.

The bartender's head snapped around despite the fact he should have been attending to a customer, and his eyes widened as he saw what was going on.

It was that moment that Roy walked into the bar, he didn't even have time to look around before the waitress suddenly grabbed him by the arm and began shoving him further inside. "Hey! What's the –!"

"Get over there and help him!" The bartender cut across, pointing hurriedly towards the far corner table. "Hurry!"

Roy looked, his eyes landing on a group of people. Two men and a woman, all seemingly rather intoxicated. But it was not this state of inebriation that suddenly enraged him, cornered in by them was a harassed looking Edward.

He didn't even have time to contemplate his sudden anger before he yanked his arm free of the waitress's nervous clutches and swept over to the group.

Edward carefully glanced to his side, if he moved fast he'd be able to slip out the exit before their drunken limbs could move after him.

"But you're so pretty." The girl purred, eyeing him closely. "You look like one of those paintings of sirens in the old mythology books, hell, even a selkie."

Edward felt his blood turn to ice and the color drain from his face.

"Look! He even has a leather strip on his ankle!" One of the guys laughed as he saw Edward move to step down, clearly wanting to blow them off and get away. "Shame they're not real, you'd look the part! But come on already…"

"Pretty!" The girl exclaimed with a rather drunken stumble and seized Edward's leg.

"No!" Edward screamed, reflexively kicking her in the head. He connected, sending her flying back, but the damage was already done.

In her hand was clutched the torn strip of leather… his sealskin.

"No!" He cried again and flew off his stool towards her, only to be shoved back into it by one of her companions.

"Stop with the dramatics, you're no selkie even if you are pretty for a guy! They're not _real_." That man smirked at him as if explaining something to a rather dumb child.

Edward's eyes sparked with fury mixed with fear, and swung at him. He wasn't drunk in the least, and as this man was, he connected easily.

But he blinked in shock as the guy he'd hit flew hard into the other. He hadn't hit him _that_ hard!

Roy hadn't even taken pause to think about doing this nicely, just grabbed the nearest man by the back of his shirt collar and bodily shoved him into the other man only about a second after he saw Edward handily punch him. "As you said, they're just myths." He snarled at them as they tumbled to a heap on the floor, and grabbed Edward's hand in his own. "And if you bother him again I'll –"

Edward didn't hear exactly what Roy's threat was, he was too busy trying to steady his panicked breath as he clutched to the man's hand like it was a lifeline. And in a way, right now it was. He knew he shouldn't lose focus, he should get out of here right now, but he didn't budge. He felt frozen in place until…

His skin!

Suddenly he bolted from his stool to fly at the girl who'd just managed to stand back up, his sealskin clutched in her hand.

"Easy!" Roy caught him around the middle with his free arm, and quickly released Edward's hand even as he pulled the blond to him firmly. Hand now free, it flashed out to grab the girl's wrist and twist it sharply.

She cried out in pain, even if he hadn't broken it, the leather strip falling to the floor.

Edward gave a panicked cry that startled Roy into releasing him. He'd never heard a noise like that in his life! It hadn't even sounded human!

"You stay away from him too!" Roy growled at her as he reached down to grab Edward by the arm and haul him up from where he'd been clutching onto the strange bit of leather desperately. "Edward, we're leaving."

Edward didn't even resist as Roy pulled him out through the employee exit and out into the silent night. Nor did he resist as he was led quite a ways away from the bar, knowing that Roy was only trying to put distance between them and it.

Roy sighed as he finally stopped among the palm tree group nearest Seolh Bay, and turned to Edward who he released at last. "Are you okay?"

Edward nodded numbly, silent tears rolling down his face. He wasn't one to cry easily, but it wasn't often he nearly lost everything. It had been so close… too close! If she'd… "Thank you." He whispered.

Roy looked down to the strip of odd looking leather that Edward still clutched onto. "Now that I think about it…" he looked back up into golden eyes that were still over-bright with fear. And he smiled, shaking his head. "Be more careful, Edward."

Edward let out a shaking breath and wiped a rough hand across his face to get rid of the tears that had stopped at last. "I thought we weren't going to see each other anymore?"

"I could escort you back there if you like." Roy offered smugly.

Edward glared and shuddered as he stooped to press his sealskin back around his ankle, where it had torn soon becoming fused once more.

Roy smiled faintly as he watched, wondering if Edward knew just how much he was revealing right now. And somehow oddly calm about what he was beginning to believe for the truth, even though it sounded preposterous in his mind. And yet… somehow it wasn't bothering him as he once thought it might have. "Just be careful."

Edward's head jerked up as Roy turned and began walking away, and he stood up sharply. "Why'd you save me?"

Roy stopped, looking back. "Well, you're a selkie, aren't you?" He nodded to where the sealskin was now back around Edward's ankle. "You're beautiful, and you went into absolute panic about that being taken from you."

Edward's eyes widened before he suddenly closed the distance between them, slapping Roy across the face.

"Edward!" Roy cried out in indignation as a hand shot up to clutch at the abused skin. "What the hell?"

"Why would you call me that?" Edward demanded.

Roy glared, and then rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Well beyond my initial reasons, you called yourself a gypsy, you seem to be acquiring a wardrobe of about five different men, and that sound you made earlier tonight, it wasn't at all human. I'm guessing seal."

Edward slapped Roy again without ado.

"Edward!" Roy snapped at him, swearing as he touched his cheek with a flinch.

"If you believe me to be a selkie," Edward asked slowly, "why are you not trying to capture me?"

Roy gave him a bit of a smile and motioned with his free hand towards the ocean not far from them at all. "Go on. I won't stop you. _I_ should be slapping _you_, for thinking I would be capable of enslaving you. Taking you against your will."

Edward eyed him uncertainly for a moment before slowly stepping forward, his heart pounding. Not even entirely sure why he was about to admit to anything. But he couldn't stop it… and found he didn't want to. "I was born two hundred and thirty-six years ago in the north Atlantic."

Roy blinked, before bursting out into quiet laughter. "Oddly, I think that's the least surprising thing about you I've learned in less than an hour."

Edward's head tilted to one side quizzically. "You are… not going to harm me?"

Roy suddenly looked at Edward in all seriousness, laughter forgotten. "I just saved you, and not for myself. It seems counter-productive to harm you. Now either go on back to the ocean, I won't stop you… or walk with me, and we can talk."

Edward worried his lower lip between his teeth before slowly backing away from Roy, and then running down to the water to splash into the comfort of the surf. But he did not dive in further, even though he wanted to.

…because everything else inside him, and even the current, was telling him to stay.

Slowly he looked over his shoulder to see Roy there where he'd left the man, standing and watching him. He looked… sad… but not for the reason that he would have thought before Roy had saved him. Looking away he thought for a moment, before turning and walking back up the beach to him.

"Talk?"

Roy nodded with a genuine smile. "Come on then, you can even walk in the water if it makes you feel better."

And so it was that they ended up walking slowly side-by-side down the beach, Edward splashing his way through the surf as it bubbled up to meet him.

"I get now why you wanted to keep me at a distance." Roy said as he walked along slowly, keeping his hands in his pockets – something Edward had insisted on.

Edward smiled faintly, watching the water surge up around his ankles. "We're not stupid. The past makes us cautious as a race. We rarely go among humans though these days. The day we met was actually my first day among humans for over one hundred years."

"How much of the myths about selkies are true? Just for the sake of knowing." Roy disclaimed.

Edward sighed, and shrugged. "Not even selkies know everything you humans think up about us."

"Seven tears?"

"To call a selkie, most commonly as a lover." Edward answered without pause, "although some selkies will seek out humans even if they've shed no tears."

Roy hesitated a moment before asking, "have you ever been called this way?"

Edward nodded minutely. "It acts like a thrall, we _have_ to answer the call. I travel commonly with a group of other selkies though, because in the event there's more than one in summoning range, a more promiscuous selkie will answer the call. I am _not_ promiscuous."

Roy had to laugh at the disdain in Edward's voice. "You turned down sex with me, I believe it."

"Maybe now you understand why? I do not like feeling used for release. Every time I've ever had sex… it's never been about me as well."

Roy looked over at him a bit guiltily. "Yeah… I suppose I owe you an apology for that. For offending you."

"Just a small one." Edward remarked idly, but flashed Roy a flash of a teasing smile. "I guess in a way though it's more flattering to be solicited by someone who didn't know at the time what I was."

Roy ducked his head with a soft chuckle. "Doesn't matter to me… you're still just as pretty as I thought you were when I first saw you. Covered in sand and..." he laughed more, falling silent with an embarrassed cough.

Edward tilted his head curiously as he watched Roy, "and what?"

Roy's eyes darted to Edward before staring fixedly at the sand they walked on. "You looked like an angel. All golden."

Edward could feel a bit of color rise to his cheeks, and he shook his head in amused exasperation. "This is so backwards. I shouldn't still be here, I should be swimming away from this place and you as fast as I can. It shouldn't be so much easier to talk to you now that you know what I am."

"Why are you still here?" Roy asked, glad as he was that Edward hadn't fled him. He couldn't have put words to the relief and happiness he'd felt when the blond had walked back up to him after initially fleeing to the surf.

He had thought in that moment that he'd never see Edward again.

Edward sighed, stopping where he was and turning to face Roy fully. "I wish I knew… I don't know what it is that I'm supposed to find here, in you. I thought, hoped, you were just a coincidence. That it was just coincidence we kept meeting. Everything in my past tells me not to trust you… but everything else…" he shook his head in exasperation, "why is it you?"

Roy tilted his head with a frown as he studied the blond. "Wait, everything else? Explain why you feel you have to find anything in me. Why are you supposed to find anyone?"

"The current keeps pushing me into the bay, wanting me to be here." Edward explained, though it was difficult to explain things he just _knew_ because it was the way life was for him. "And my instinct was telling me that it was okay, that I'd be okay." He laughed hollowly at how _that_ had turned out. If not for Roy, he might be a slave right now. "You're the only consistent thing in my time here, the only human who has by intention or not, found me."

Roy looked over Edward's head towards the ocean as he mulled over that. "So you believe it's me, something about me that something inside you is telling you to find?"

Edward nodded mutely.

"Well," Roy paused a moment as he considered, and then a thoughtful smile began to shadow his lips. "I think I have an idea of how we can test that, if you're willing. It'll just need to wait until morning. I think we've both had a trying night already, no use burdening us with an experiment too."

"I am willing." Edward agreed without much thought to the pros and cons of agreeing with a thus far undisclosed idea. After what Roy had just done for him, he was agreeable to a small experiment. He wouldn't say that he entirely trusted the man, it was far too premature for something like that… but right now he trusted Roy more than anyone else on the shore.

Roy nodded and began walking once more, drawing ever closer to his cottage. The resumed splashing of water told him that Edward was not far behind. "If it _is_ me that you're drawn to… are selkies in a case like this drawn to anything but tears?"

Edward raised a hand to rub the back of his neck with a sigh. "It's not that kind of pull. I can resist it, it may be uncomfortable and have the potential to drive me insane if I resist too long, but I can resist. With tears, there is little choice. The selkie who answers the summons is completely bound until, as is most common, the coupling is complete."

"And I'm guessing you are as clueless as I am as to what it could be?"

"As I've wondered, why is it you?" Edward shook his head. "I just don't know. You say you don't want to enslave me –"

Roy didn't even care to wait to see where that led to as he abruptly turned to catch Edward's arm, fixing with stern eyes. "Don't _ever_ think that, don't even _think_ it! What joy would your presence bring me if it was against what you wanted?" He demanded angrily. "I am no monster, Edward!"

Edward's eyes were wide as they stared back at the incensed human, shocked too much by the passion in Roy's words to even think about shaking off the man's hand. Finally he found his tongue again, though it was a slow start. "What I want…?"

It was said as if the concept was foreign to him in such a scenario.

Roy's eyes narrowed before his expression began to soften, and he released Edward's arm. "Call me old-fashioned, but I do not see the enjoyment of only taking and giving nothing in return to my partner. You may be a selkie, but that doesn't mean you should be treated as a possession."

Edward ducked his head away from the still-intense gaze that Roy had resting on him, brows furrowed as he tried not to feel too pleased by Roy's words. They had no relevance to him, after all. He didn't want to be such a partner to a human. "I think I like the things you say to me more when you're being honest instead of trying to lure me to your bed for a night."

Roy gave him a lopsided smile. "I think I like you more when you're being honest with me too. Before I thought you were just some sandy angel who I couldn't get out of my head." And the smile twisted in a wry fashion as he shook his head and looked towards his cottage silhouetted in the darkness. "This isn't going to help matters any."

Edward raised his eyes back to Roy's face, head tilted just a fraction as he contemplated the man with almost detached serenity. "Does it not help that I'll be back tomorrow morning?"

Roy met those golden eyes again and couldn't help but genuinely smile. "I'm afraid it's not quite that simple, sandy little angel." And he ignored the indignant light that filled the golden eyes at the 'little' reference, to finish, "I tried to forget about you. And now that I know you better for who you really are… I'm not sure I'll ever be able to. And that, more than anything –" he shook his head suddenly to put a halt to those thoughts, "– I came to that bar tonight looking for you because I couldn't bear not just _seeing_ you again."

Edward felt his face go blank, "don't say that."

"Edward –"

"You were avoiding me?" Edward cut in without care, "I would have seen you all those other days as well had you not?"

Roy knew there was no way to be sure, but… "yes."

Edward's breath exhaled shakily and he quickly turned to resume walking through the surf as his head shook side-to-side. "You must forget about me after tomorrow, Roy. You must. I do not wish to stay forever just to appease your eyes. And I shall not be bound to forever returning before I can get far enough away from this place because you shed tears for me."

"I would not do you the dishonor. And be that as it may," Roy replied softly, not following after the blond, "before I knew you were a selkie… I don't need you to cry for me to want to find you. So I know that forgetting you is more a fairytale thought than you yourself are. But if after tomorrow I never see you again, just remember that. Maybe then one day you'll understand then why I could never bear to enslave you in any fashion."

He shook his head then, and began making his way away from the sea, knowing now that he was really, royally screwed. How had it fucked up to this in only a little over a week? He had never wanted it to be this way, to have his thoughts overrun constantly by blond hair and golden eyes and their odd few meetings… and the way the selkie blissfully enjoyed those silly daiquiris. And _when_ had it come to this? Had he been doomed the moment he'd laid eyes on that blond hair?

Why had it come to this?

Edward watched Roy head up the beach without a backward look to him. It was like watching Roy walk away from him that night at the bar and convincing himself he didn't feel disappointed. That for every single day afterwards up until he'd seen Roy again tonight, that he hadn't been in a mood that had made even his mother stop asking him what was wrong in that tone that frustratingly implied she already knew.

But he hadn't even known! And he had not been about to give her the satisfaction of his asking for enlightenment.

He hadn't known until now, watching Roy's retreating back, and feeling something foreign clench inside of him. And he knew at that moment that he couldn't let Roy walk away like this… not unless he wanted to be in a hellish mood until tomorrow morning.

Roy heard the water splashing, and believed Edward to have left. And he comforted himself knowing that he'd at least be able to see the blond tomorrow, he felt bitterly better with that thought in mind when a hand caught his and yanked him to a stop.

Edward was panting slightly from his run up the beach, and his hand clenched on Roy's firmly as he gazed back determinedly into surprised eyes. "If tomorrow fails, and your experiment tells me that you're not what I was meant to find… I'm glad I met you."

Roy felt a smile slip slowly into place, though it hurt him in a way a smile should not. "Not all humans are the same…" and he raised his free hand slowly towards Edward's face, giving him time to move away, time he did not take, and he brushed his fingers against the smooth skin. "Just as not all selkies are the same. Remember that too, sandy little angel."

Edward surprised even himself when he failed to rise to the bait of 'little', too overcome by the inexplicable warmth radiating from Roy's touch against his face. He nearly embarrassed himself by sighing into it, for though it was warm, oddly it gave him the same sense of satisfaction that cold condensation and a daiquiri did.

"I think you are beginning to understand though." Roy smiled faintly into the golden eyes that watched him without a flicker of fear. "You chased after me out of the water."

Edward flushed and tipped his head away from Roy's touch, the man's hand obediently fell away. "You did save my life." And he hated how it felt when Roy walked away from him. But he'd not tell the man something like _that_. He didn't even want to admit it to himself.

"What else could I have done?" Roy wondered aloud, truly miffed by the thought of doing anything else. But he shook his head, it didn't matter now. Edward was safe, his freedom intact. "I'll meet you before dawn just to be safe, but for right now I think we both need some sleep."

Edward nodded and released Roy's hand which he realized he'd still held, and tried not to mind the amused twinkle in Roy's eyes as he did so. "Just… thank you." And with a fleeting smile he stepped forward to lean up and chastely kiss Roy's cheek before blushing scarlet and whirling around to race down to the surf.

Roy stared after him wide-eyed and catatonic, one hand raised dumbly to his cheek as he watched the blond splash into the waves, and then out of nowhere, vanish as if he'd never been.

He barely slept that night, and when he did, he dreamt of gold and seals.

**X**

The next morning, well before dawn, Edward swam up into the bay after having taken Roy's advice and gotten some sleep. He knew that his suddenly non-volatile mood had been noticed by the others, but even his mother hadn't questioned him about it. Though he had that lurking suspicion all children had about their mothers at one time or another, that she already knew.

But she was neither here nor there right now, and he cast aside his thoughts about how much his mother knew in order to retrieve his items of disguise before swimming in nearer to the beach with them.

Once he had, and his transformation and immediate disguising to make himself appear like any other human was complete, Edward splashed out of the surf and up onto the harder, wetter sand.

Looking up towards the cottage he knew to belong to Roy, he took a deep breath to settle his nerves before heading in that direction. A glance around showed that the beach was still empty aside from himself, which suited him just fine.

The last few steps up onto the deck and to those twin doors separating the cottage from its view were the hardest, but biting his lower lip between his teeth in some act of steeling himself for what was to come, for placing himself before a human who knew what he was. But reach the doors he did, and hoping that his ember of trust in Roy would not be extinguished, he raised his hand to rap on one of the doors.

To him, the noise it created sounded hesitant.

Meanwhile inside the cottage…

Roy's head lifted from where he sat at his kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee. He'd given up on more sleep about twenty minutes ago after seeing that it was going on four in the morning. But any lingering tiredness fell by the wayside as he abandoned the unfinished cup to stand and hurry over to the patio deck doors where the knock had sounded from.

Almost feeling as if he didn't open it now, Edward would run off back to the sea.

He didn't want to lose this last chance to see him.

Wrenching the right door open he smiled in relief and welcome as he saw the blond standing on his doorstep looking rather on the nervous side. "Ready to begin?"

Edward's head tilted to one side in curiosity. "Just tell me what to do."

"Well," Roy began as he held up a hand to motion for Edward to wait as he stepped back inside, "let me grab some water and then we'll head out."

"Out?" Edward echoed, "out where?" What exactly did this human have in mind to do? And he shifted where he stood on the patio deck in his uncertainty.

Roy came back with a bottle of water and a smile. "Why, out to the ocean, of course." And barely glimpsing the surprise on Edward's face, he stepped outside to lock the doors and then turn to the blond at his side who was staring up at him in what could only be termed fascination. He felt himself begin to blush under the scrutiny, much to his dismay.

"You're going out into the ocean with me?" Edward asked slowly, to be sure he had this correct. "Your last chance to see me, and you take me out there?"

"How else are we going to see if it's me or something else in the bay?" Roy pointed out, and then smirked at the blond. "For being over two hundred years old you sure don't have a lot of reasoning skills at times."

"Hey!" Edward shouted after him indignantly as the man began to make his way down to the sand. Growling he darted after him. But he said nothing further as he stood by the side to watch as Roy grabbed a small dinghy that had been resting against the side of the cottage and began to haul it across the sand by a rope attached to the bow. "You aren't worried that I'd just swim off?"

"You won't until you know for sure." Roy pointed out and continued to pull the dinghy towards the water. It didn't weigh much at all, luckily, for it didn't seem that his shapeshifter companion was inclined to assist him. A trilling sound that didn't sound entirely human met his assessment, and he glanced over at the blond with an arching eyebrow. "What was that supposed to mean?"

Edward flushed slightly and his eyes darted down to the sand. "Roughly… I was agreeing."

Roy chuckled and put renewed effort into his pulling of the dinghy. "So are you able to have full communication of both species no matter which form you're in?"

"As a human, to a point." Edward explained without really considering _not_ telling him. "As a seal, not at all. It rarely matters though, selkies can communicate with each other no matter what form they're in."

"You'll be able to understand me then as a seal?" Roy just wanted to be sure he had this straight.

Edward nodded and looked out across the sea pensively. "Even if I'm under the water. If I'm close enough I'll hear. Sound carries better than you humans think down there."

Roy nodded, filing it away that he needn't yell for Edward to be heard once they got out there. He doubted such a thing would be appreciated. And with a few last good tugs, Roy managed to get the dinghy down to the water. "How far out do you think you'll need to go to know for sure?" Roy asked as he began to push the dinghy out deeper.

Edward splashed into the water at his side, still not bothering to transform himself yet. He wasn't exactly deep enough to make it easy to get right to swimming, he was a bit finicky when it came to mucking about in the sand. "Until I get free of the current coming into the bay… so a little over a mile out, more towards the west."

Roy nodded and gave one last push as the dinghy began to float handily on its own and he would have room for the oars to work too. "This may take a while, no motor." He warned as he hopped into the boat, unmindful of its rocking from his action as he took a seat on the bench.

"Maybe I'll find some breakfast then too while I'm at it." Edward smirked, "just do me a favor and fish these clothes out of the water for me? I'd hide them again, but I'm not sure if I'll be inclined to need them again while we're out there."

Roy nodded as he picked up one oar and laid it across his knees. "All right then." And with his curiosity at full power he watched as Edward sank down underneath the water.

Almost instantly the odd assorted articles of clothing that the selkie must have stolen floated up, and Roy obediently leaned over the side of the dinghy to grab them up and toss them into the boat for safekeeping. Shaking his head with a smile he picked up both oars and stuck them into the water slowly, not wanting to bash the selkie he still couldn't see over the head.

He doubted that would go over well with the hot-tempered Edward.

Chuckling to himself he began to carefully row at first, giving Edward more than enough time to get away from the oars, before putting a bit more power into it so that he could get past the worst of the initial waves coming into the bay.

Under the water Edward floated lazily on his back for a moment, watching the boat above him begin to move at a faster pace. It seemed that Roy was wasting no time. With a series of relieved clicks that he was in the water again, safe, and about to find out for sure one way or the other about Roy, he gave a slap of his tail against the sandy bottom to shoot up through the water.

Easily ducking around the oars he gave a few sideways tumbles around the bottom of the dinghy before shooting ahead with a powerful flick of his flippers and rapidly surfaced just ahead of the boat.

Roy startled at the sudden disruption of the water, much to his immediately disgruntled amusement, but all of that soon went away as he stared in awe at the seal now blocking his way. It was one thing to just know, but another to _see_. And there was no mistaking those fiery golden eyes of the slate grey seal who was watching him. Slowly he began to smile, the smile growing ever wider as he set the oars aside in their hooks and carefully made his way to the bow to sit.

"Do you know how hard it is not to try and pet you?" He asked with a bit of a laugh.

Edward huffed into the water, disrupting the surface of it violently before he ducked under the water only to quickly somersault and slap his tail against the surface. When he popped back up he began to bark in laughter as a sopping Roy pushed wet hair out of his eyes while glaring at him.

"Right, got it. No comments that you're cute." Roy rolled his eyes, smirking as the seal's barking became just one, one indignant bark. And before he could be splashed again he quickly backed up to sit on the bench again and grab up the oars. "Now out of my way, I doubt you'd like to be run over."

Edward sneezed in answer and dove back under the water as Roy began to row once more. Making a rather large half-circle through the water underneath the boat he then shot forward to get ahead of the dinghy again. But this time he surfaced up a few yards ahead of it. Turning his head he gave a demanding bark before beginning to slowly swim across the surface to guide Roy's way, only ducking down every so often to check that there were no sharks.

Roy obediently followed after Edward, still smiling in a way that made him believe he might never stop. Never in his life did he think he'd one day be following a selkie out into the ocean, but here he was. His only regret was the knowledge that after this he knew Edward didn't want to see him again… wanted to be forgotten.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Roy applied himself actively once more to his rowing, every now and then glancing back to see how far they'd gone. Not that it mattered. He'd follow Edward until the selkie stopped.

Edward swam west until he was free of the warm current, but he could never break free of his instinct. They were almost two miles off of shore, far from even seeing Seolh Bay. But even without the current, his instinct was still trying to pull him back. A frustrated, high-pitched chirp escaped him as he gave a quick vertical spin in the water. What the hell _was_ it? What was he supposed to find there?

In his frustration he had forgotten about Roy, until the man spoke, startling a yip out of him.

"Sorry." Roy grinned abashedly as golden eyes glared into him. "I was just saying… no, never mind. Just do something for me, swim over behind the boat as if you were going to go back to the bay."

Roy knew in that moment, that his words could easily have been the very last ones he'd say to Edward, for if it was not _him_ that Edward was meant to find, for whatever reason, than the selkie had no reason to linger. But if it was him… he held back the sigh, Edward wouldn't stay for long. And he stared hard at the selkie, trying to memorize everything.

Edward tilted his head to one side, large eyes studying the human in the boat before he suddenly ducked under again to do as had been suggested. With a flap of his tail he propelled himself under the boat.

Only to suddenly tumble to a halt in the water as his instinct yanked inside of him. Changing directions so fast it left him momentarily disoriented.

And when he managed to clear his head his eyes clearly reflected his shock, denial, and confused amazement. Uncertainly he looked back around for the dinghy, and he didn't need the slight little tug of his instinct to impart to him that Roy was beginning to row in a circle – clearly about to leave.

A flash of panic completely foreign to him rushed through his body, and Edward shot up through the water frantically to surface with his front flippers shoving against the side of the boat to try and stop it, change its course, anything.

Roy swore colorfully, one hand clutching at his chest. He'd thought Edward was gone! Not about to try giving him a heart attack! But one look at the wild look in those golden eyes caused whatever reprimands he might have said to die on his lips, and he frowned as he abandoned the other oar to its hook. "You okay?"

Edward's flippers slipped away from the boat before he gave a lunge and hooked them, along with a third of his body over the edge of the dinghy, causing Roy to swear again and lean all of his weight to the other side so they didn't capsize.

"Edward!" Roy berated him. "What's wrong? Do you want in the boat?"

Edward honestly didn't know, and a helpless sounding trill left him as he slumped his head down and his eyes closed.

Roy sighed then, "it's me, isn't it?"

Edward huffed.

Roy took that as an affirmative, and rubbed at the back of his neck with a hand. "You don't have to look so depressed about it, you know. You'll hurt my feelings."

The golden eyes cracked open again, and Edward slid down off of the boat, causing Roy to yelp and nearly be pitched off the side as the dinghy swayed violently with the sudden loss of weight.

Roy grumbled under his breath as he scooted over to the other side so he could look down at Edward. "Look… at least now you know. I mean, I don't know what is even remotely special about me, enough to have caused this to happen to you. But cheer up, at least it's something. One less thing for you to feel so lost over."

Edward half-turned in the water, glancing over at Roy before suddenly swimming back a few feet from the boat and slapping his flippers against the water. And when Roy didn't immediately seem to get it, he slapped them again while nodding his head.

Roy tilted his head as he tried to figure it out, "you want me to come in there?"

Edward nodded again, slapping his flippers demandingly against the sea.

Roy wasn't about to ask why, knowing that he'd probably not get an answer. It didn't seem that Edward was inclined to shapeshift back to a human form anytime soon. Not that he minded too much, he had no right to demand what form Edward be in just for his own convenience.

So kicking off his flip-flops and pulling off his shirt to leave him in just his swim trunks, he eased himself to the edge of the dinghy before giving a quick dive into the water. He didn't even have time to surface himself, much less get a good look around, before a slate grey seal had come up under him to force him to the surface.

Coming up he released the breath he'd been holding as the arm Edward had swum up under stayed draped around the selkie's shoulders. "So why am I in here?" He asked conversationally to the seal who was watching him carefully.

Edward blinked at him and then began to swim forward with Roy in tow. He continued to stare back at the human obediently hanging around his shoulders as he made a complete circuit around the boat before stopping.

Roy barely had time to register anything was changing when suddenly his arm was on its own in the water, and he was staring at a very human looking Edward again. "Well?"

Edward tread water absently as he considered the man. "I wanted to make sure it was you, and not the boat."

"The boat?" Roy deadpanned, unimpressed.

Edward splashed him with a roll of his eyes. "Yes, the boat. You never know." And then he looked away with a far-off gaze. "It wasn't… but I don't understand why it's you. You say you're nothing special –"

"Don't say you agree." Roy warned him through suspiciously narrowed eyes.

That actually earned a quick grin, but it quickly faded as Edward looked back at him somberly. "I was going to say that I'm really not sure…" he shook his head bitterly, "I don't know what to do."

And then Roy was suddenly staring at a seal's face again. With a sigh he reached forward and against his splashing of earlier, laid his hand against the silky, velvet furred skin of the selkie's head. "I thought you wanted our association to end?"

Edward's eyes closed briefly before he quickly turned his head to catch Roy's hand lightly in his mouth, but he was careful not to bite down with teeth that he knew were sharp. And he held it there in his mouth as Roy looked back at him without a trace of fear.

"Last night might not have been the best night to make ultimatums." Roy continued, unmindful that he could very well lose his hand right now. "You went through something that scared you, for good reason. And maybe that fear carried over to me despite what I've said about how I feel regarding keeping you against your will. In light of that… I suggest you take a day, or even two, and just think about everything. And perhaps give me my hand back so I can tread water a bit easier."

Edward immediately did so.

"Thanks." Roy chuckled and gained a bit more ground over the surface of the gently moving ocean. "You know where to find me if you decide to see where it leads you."

Edward bowed his head in thought, before he gave a nod. With one last parting look at Roy he turned around the end of the boat and gave a leap through the water before diving under to swim off towards open ocean.

Roy knew without being told that Edward had left, and he tried not to feel regretful about it as he clambered back into the boat. His eyes fell on the strange assortment of clothing, and he sighed. He wasn't sure where Edward had been hiding them, and hadn't been told what to do with them. So with no other choice, he began to row back to Seolh Bay with them.

He just hoped that their continued presence didn't mean that Edward would not be returning.


	2. Chapter 2

…_Three days later…_

Roy was walking through ankle-deep surf with hands shoved deep in his pockets and eyes trained automatically now on the blue waters. He was so focused on scanning them that he was aware of little else. It had been like this since that morning that Edward had swum off without a trace. Each day from dawn until dusk he'd walk the beach around the bay, looking for some sign that he was out there.

It was different from the first time, when he'd been avoiding Edward. It was a different sensation of longing. One that grew painful, instead of agitating, as time slowly drug on.

Each night he'd go to that bar, look in, but not stay when he saw the blond wasn't there. And each night he felt himself sink deeper into the silence that kept him looking out over the ocean with a lost expression on his face.

He knew he was probably being ridiculous, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

And now on the third morning, as the beach began to become clogged with tourists seeking to clutter his front yard, he continued to walk the shoreline. Always looking at the sea.

Waiting… hoping… and at the same time falling further into the painful realization that maybe he'd been wrong. That just maybe, Edward had meant it when he'd said to forget him.

But how could he forget?

It wasn't because Edward was a selkie, a novelty. It was something far deeper than that. As he'd said, he didn't need Edward to shed tears to make him want to find him. It mattered not to him what they were, how different they may be, all he knew was that he would always happily place himself at Edward's side, even rescue him again, just because it was _him_.

He knew he was in deep, and he wasn't trying to break free anymore.

**X**

"_Aur?"_

Aur didn't raise his head from where it lay slumped on his front flippers, but he did open his eyes to stare dully at the rocks with golden eyes. _"Yes, mother?"_

She stared down at him in thoughtful silence for a moment, before balancing herself on one flipper to rest the other on her son's back. _"It's going to drive you mad. Can you not feel it already?"_

"_I'm depressed, not insane."_ He replied and tilted his head to the side to look up at her through one eye.

"_We all sink differently."_ Was her gentle reply. _"Why do you not see him? It's been three days."_

Aur huffed and settled his head back down properly. _"He may not infuriate me anymore, but... what could he ever offer me that I couldn't find elsewhere? He's just a human!"_

"_And you're just a selkie."_ She rebuked firmly. _"A selkie who needs this human right now. He is not meaningless if he is causing you to be like this. And if you try to fight it too long… you'll go mad."_

Aur tried not to flinch at her words, knowing she was right. _"He scares me." _He finally whispered.

Now they were getting somewhere, and her whiskers twitched in a repressed seal-smile as she lowered herself down beside her son. _"How? I thought you said he has no want to enslave you."_

"_He doesn't. And I believe him… but…"_ Aur looked over at her worriedly, _"I kissed him once, mother."_

She tried not to laugh as her son promptly hid his head under his flippers in embarrassment. _"Did you now?"_

"_On his cheek, but still!" _Was the muffled, chirped reply.

She lost her control over her laughter, only managing to abruptly stop when she caught one golden eye glaring up at her from under a partially raised flipper. _"Why does it scare you that you kissed him?"_

"_I just did it, out of nowhere!" _His voice began to grow progressively louder even muffled as he was underneath his flippers. _"And I was so embarrassed… I don't know why I did it."_

"_Gratitude?"_

"_I wouldn't have turned red if it'd been from gratitude. I'm not a fragile flower."_ Aur growled.

She leaned down to nuzzle against his head affectionately. _"Aur, love…" _and she paused a moment to think of how to phrase it, _"you're not happy when you try and stay away from him. Can you not allow him to bring you happiness?"_

"_What if I kiss him again?"_ And Aur raised his head from under his flippers to stare at her.

"_Would kissing him not bring you happiness?"_ She asked delicately. _"You were pretty happy when you came back that night."_

If he could have, Aur would have blushed. Luckily his seal form lacked that particular embarrassing reaction. _"I don't know…"_

She butted heads with him gently. _"Go to him, my Aur. You'll be happier once you do. And I'm sure he is waiting for you. You can tell me I was right later. He sounds like a good human."_

Aur hung his head as he thought about it… and then he was suddenly sliding off the rock he'd been sunning on and darted off through the water.

His mother watched him go with a fond gleam in her eyes. _"It's time you learned that sometimes you have to take a chance and trust someone our past tells you not to. You'd be surprised what can happen."_

Out near the Bay once more, Aur was glad his mother hadn't followed him… for he knew she would have knocked him over the head if she knew he was about to spend hours swimming in circles.

**X**

Roy had taken to sitting on the steps of his patio deck as he absently ate a sandwich. More because he knew he needed to eat than any inclination of being hungry. And still he watched the water roll into the bay.

He was quite happy to ignore the people prancing about on his front lawn dressed in next to nothing so long as he had a clear view of the sea.

And he ignored them, not quite attached to reality until he saw a surfer suddenly start panicking out in the water. At first he almost thought the man was in trouble, but as he slowly stood up he could see by the way he was moving that he seemed to be panicking, more than in any danger.

But as this was technically where he lived, he started down the steps anyway to make his way over to see what exactly the fuss was. They were making a racket down there. And maybe a shark wasn't attacking the man yet, but he certainly was looking a bit freaked out.

He wasn't the only one heading towards the water to get a better look, and he was about halfway down the beach when a flash of gold at the shoreline to his far left caught his attention. Habit caused him to turn his head, but it was not habit that caused him to stop dead and stare.

There, dripping wet and looking suspiciously pleased with himself, was Edward.

"Edward…" Roy whispered, and as if hearing him, the blond suddenly looked his way. Suddenly he knew what all the fuss was about with that surfer, it made perfect sense now.

Edward nearly trembled in relief as the insanity inducing tugs that had wanted him to return to this place, to this man, began to ebb at last. But not fast enough. And not looking away from Roy, he suddenly dashed across the beach to him at a run.

Roy barely had time to brace himself before he had an armful of blond, his eyes wide in shock as he stumbled back only a step before his arms went hesitantly around Edward. "What's this all of a sudden?"

Edward clunked his head against Roy's chest before drawing away a proper distance and meeting the man's confused eyes. "Sorry… I… I couldn't take it anymore, it was about to drive me insane and it wasn't leaving fast enough. Touching you took care of it immediately as I thought it might."

"Are you always this confusing?" Roy asked in mild exasperation, "where've you been?" He didn't dare add that he'd been pretty much pining after him for the past three days. It was embarrassing enough to reflect on it now that he was finally cured of a lack of seeing the blond.

Edward glanced around before tipping his head towards Roy's cottage. "Can we go inside and talk?"

"Of course." Roy agreed immediately and started off, Edward following right beside him.

At the doors, Edward hesitated only a moment before entering in after the man, and quite quickly he found himself a seat in an armchair, leaving the couch to Roy.

Roy paused at the door which he'd just shut, "do you need anything to drink, or eat? I have raw seafood… though the fish is still frozen."

Edward fought back a small smile at the thoughtfulness. Now that Roy mentioned it… he hadn't exactly eaten since he'd tried to stay away from Roy. How _that_ had failed between his desire not to go insane and his mother's insistence. "I'll drink water… what kind of seafood?"

Roy nodded as he went to grab two glasses and fill them with water. "Shrimp in the fridge right now, thawing. Do you eat shrimp?"

"As long as they're uncooked." Edward informed him.

Roy repressed a shudder at the thought, but knew that it was what Edward was used to. Always eating things raw. "They're uncooked. Do you want them? Can you even eat them as you are?"

"What, you can't talk to me while I look like a seal?" Edward asked teasingly. "You weren't so bad at it before."

Roy looked around at him with a roll of his eyes. "Why'd I even ask?" He queried lightly and pulled the shrimp out, opening the package and pouring some onto a tray. He figured that unlike raw fish, perhaps raw shrimp wouldn't taste as good to Edward if he had a human pallet.

As he turned around with it, and the glass of water, he was met by the sight of a seal lounging on his floor looking perfectly comfortable. "Careful now, you'll make me want to feed you and teach you tricks."

Edward's whiskers twitched indignantly as he patted his left flipper on the floor to try and get the man to hurry. He was hungry!

Roy chuckled and slipped the tray in front of the seal, setting Edward's glass of water to the side. As he sat down onto his couch to watch in fascination as the selkie delicately picked up shrimp by shrimp and swallowed them down whole, he was finally able to notice how big Edward really was.

In fact, almost the same length as the selkie was tall in human form. His entire body was lithe curves, and slim, but there was no mistaking that he was strong. It was a body built for cutting through water effortlessly, and he had seen a small demonstration of that before. The golden eyes were larger in this form, but what amused him most were the whiskers.

Edward had long, bristly looking whiskers extending out from each side of his face. And he could tell that Edward was trying to keep them meticulously clean, the way he'd pull them back as far as he could before seizing each shrimp, but then they'd puff out again as he ate.

Roy was smiling as he took a sip of his water, one leg kicked over the other.

When Edward was finally done he raised his head to meet Roy's amused looking gaze and then picked the tray up in his teeth. Using his flippers to propel him forward he scooted across the floor to shove the tray at the man.

"Bossy." Roy grumped good-naturedly as he took it. "Do you want more?"

Edward swayed his body side-to-side in answer before raising one flipper to motion towards the swim trunks he'd stolen, which had fallen away when he'd transformed back to his natural state.

"You know," Roy said as he got up to take the tray to the sink, "if you want dry clothes I can let you borrow some of mine." And he looked over his shoulder as he set the tray down, to see Edward watching him with big seal eyes. "Would you rather that? Or I'll leave for a moment, either way."

Edward's head tilted to the side before he began to bounce up and down on his flippers in a very enthusiastic nod.

Roy grinned and motioned for Edward to stay where he was. "I'll be back in a moment. You look like you're doing pushups over there. I just hope you're housebroken."

Edward scowled after him, making a rude noise in reply before beginning to tap his right flipper against the floor in a very human gesture of impatience. If he were more spiteful in nature he'd pee on Roy's floor just to annoy him. Housebroken… the nerve. He was a selkie, not a dog!

Roy came out to the sight of an irritated looking seal tapping at him pointedly. Smirking he set the small pile of clothes and a towel down next to the selkie and straightened. "Call me when you're done." And he beat a retreat back to his bedroom to shut the door and give Edward some privacy.

Edward nudged the pile with his nose a moment before transforming into his human form again. Not wasting any time he grabbed the towel and dried himself off, as he was still a bit damp from recently coming out of the ocean. Then he pulled on the clothes which hung on him, but he rolled up the pant legs and the sleeves of the shirt that bagged on him and that was that. They would do.

No clothes ever really fit him.

Rubbing at his hair with the towel he bent to pick up his water glass while calling, "I'm done!"

Roy opened the door and stepped out, before stopping dead for the second time that day as his eyes landed on Edward. And at the curious look he was given he cleared his throat roughly as his eyes continued to linger. "You look good in clothes that actually match." As he looked up into unreadable gold eyes he added, "makes me wonder how you'd look in clothes that fit."

Edward shrugged, "we don't exactly pick and choose what clothes we steal. It's always a matter of convenience and necessity."

"Still," Roy grinned fleetingly, "you look good."

Edward looked away with a slight flush. "Thanks."

Roy tried not to let his eyes linger on the redness that showed just how pleased his praise had made the blond, nor admire how well it seemed to suit him. Shaking his head to try and get himself together he quickly crossed to the couch and sat down. "So you don't need water to transform after all?"

Edward took the cue and sat back in the armchair while nursing his glass of water in both hands. "No. I think some myths say that we do… but I've never had a problem with it. Neither has anyone else in the pod. As long as I want to shapeshift, and have my sealskin, I can do so."

Roy was suddenly intrigued though by something else, "how many is a pod, as far as selkies are concerned?"

Edward's head cocked to one side as he mentally counted while taking a sip of his water. "There's sixteen adults, four pups, and myself." And he grimaced suddenly. "My mother still calls me a pup though at times. We reach adulthood at four years of age, and I'm over two hundred."

Roy chuckled at that, "I think everyone's mother does that. And how old is your mother?"

"Almost eight hundred." Edward revealed without qualm. "She's one of the oldest in the pod."

"You must age very slowly then in human forms." Roy mused to himself.

However Edward wasn't about to not answer. "We do. Every century of human time that passes, our human forms will grow ten years older. As a seal, though, we stop aging at approximately one hundred of your years. So our seal bodies are only about ten years old throughout our lifespan."

"And how long is that, exactly?"

Edward shrugged, "I've always understood it as that it depends on the selkie. Some of us get eaten, or killed in other ways. I'm not sure what ever happens to those who are captured. Some selkies get sick and die off, it really just depends. We're not immortal, but we've the capability of very long lives."

Roy thought about that for a moment before something occurred to him. "So if a selkie were summoned by tears, and as a human this selkie looked like a crone because they were so old, what usually happens? I can only imagine these summons being for sex… but you hinted that perhaps not always?"

"I've been summoned for advice before… some moron got it into his head that selkies were soothsayers or some nonsense." Edward frowned and then shook his head free of the odd memories of that night. "But even if a summons is meant to be for sex, in cases like that if the human breaks their will for it to happen… say, is turned off by the idea of getting laid by the selkie equivalent of a ninety year old man or woman, then the thrall we're under can be broken in that fashion without the consummation. Human will plays the final factor, not the tears shed."

"Or if the wrong gender were to appear?" Roy guessed.

"Yes." Edward snorted, his mouth quirking upward before he shook his head, not wanting to share _that_ particular story. Because he really did hate that he'd ever been used like that. "Though sometimes it's not even that. We don't exactly appear at times like those and set aside time for finding clothes. We just come out of the water naked… it has sent more than one human shrieking for the hills because they're so shocked. Or they didn't think it'd actually work."

Roy couldn't see anyone running from Edward in such a situation… but he dared not mention that to the blond. Looking to the side he tried to pull himself back together and away from thoughts involving Edward naked. "Anyway…" he redirected carefully, "you came back… what did you decide?"

Edward's hands clasped together as he drew his feet up onto the cushion whether Roy would have liked it or not. Settling back into the chair he stared hard at his hands. "I tried not to come back… but it would have driven me insane had I stayed away for too many more days. My mother convinced me to come back here to you before it was too late. As much as I didn't want to go insane I…" he broke off with a faint blush, unwilling to admit why he'd not wanted to see Roy again.

"So you don't want to be here?" Roy summarized flatly.

"It's not like that." He disagreed softly, still not daring to look at him.

Roy sighed and stood up, turning around while hooking fingers into the front of his hair as the heel of his hand ground against his forehead. "Edward, what is it about me that you hate so much still that you'd rather go insane than see me? What is it that it took your _mother_ to bully you into coming here?"

"It's not like that!" Edward repeated sharply, leaping to his feet. "You think this is _easy_ for me, Roy? For as long as I've lived, I've known nothing but to keep myself a good distance away from humans. Physically, if possible. Emotionally, always. And now there's you… and you _saved my life_, you don't want to keep me against my will, and everything I've always trusted is telling me to be here with you and I _don't understand it_!"

Roy half-turned, his hand falling back to his side as Edward stormed over to stare out the window.

"I don't hate you…" Edward whispered at last as he placed a hand flat on the glass. "I think right now I hate myself. I'm _scared_, I don't know what to do. And I hate it. I hate it that I can't seem to act around you as I should… when I'm with you it's like… I act on complete impulse."

Roy watched the blond carefully before slowly walking over to him, being sure that he did make enough noise so that Edward knew where he was. And stepping up behind him he slipped his arms around the blond's waist, drawing him gently back against him. "You shouldn't hate yourself for that."

"Should I be happy about it then? That I'm such a mess since meeting you?" Edward retorted, though he didn't try and escape Roy's arms.

"Better than hating yourself for it." Roy reasoned. "Stop trying to understand everything, maybe your impulses aren't such a bad thing. At the very least, it'll keep you from being boring."

"Shut up." Edward said, though there was no venom in the words.

Roy chuckled quietly and released the blond, stepping around to lean sideways against the window and watch him closely. "Is this why you didn't want to see me again?"

Edward's eyes fell to the side, "partly. I'd rather not say though, what the other thing was… it's kind of personal."

Knowing that he couldn't fault the blond for wanting to keep at least one secret, and at least armed with the knowledge it hadn't been because Edward hated him, he nodded in acceptance. "In light of everything then, I propose this –"

Edward looked up at him sharply.

Roy met his gaze unwaveringly, "– that you give whatever it is that's calling you to me a chance to make itself known. Neither of us can do that apart from the other, and it clearly causes you discomfort, and causes me a lack of decent sleep."

Edward couldn't help but smile at that part.

"I stand by the promises I've made you, you're safe with me." Roy continued firmly, willing Edward to believe his words. "And so I ask you, Edward, will you try to at least be my friend? Maybe somewhere along the way, you'll find what you're looking for… and I'll have your company."

Edward remained silent for some time, before slowly, his head began to nod. "I've never had a human pod before."

Roy flashed him a grin, "there's a first time for everything, sandy little angel."

Edward scowled at the use of that hated adjective, but nodded more certainly this time. "A human friend… maybe you will be a good one."

"We can only hope." Roy smirked and extended his hand to the blond, "do we have a deal?"

Edward hesitated a moment as he looked down at Roy's hand, before reaching out to clasp it. "Okay."

Roy was smiling as their hands remained together, and had he not shaken hands with Edward before, he'd have thought the selkie didn't know how to do so. But as it was, he merely reformed his grip around the blond's hand. "Still glad you met me?"

Edward looked up at him, a blush beginning to come to life as he met the twinkling look in Roy's eyes that left no doubt in his mind that the man was remembering what had happened shortly after he'd made that announcement. "Remains to be seen."

Roy would have felt wounded had the blond not flashed him a little ghost of a smile right before he took his hand back. "Not going to kiss me again now that you've released me?"

Edward whirled around to face him with wide eyes as heat rushed unwanted to his cheeks. "I never meant to do that." He said hurriedly. "I apologize."

"For kissing me?" Roy shook his head and started back over to the couch. "You could never need to apologize for that."

Edward watched him go through narrowed eyes. He knew when he was being teased, but what he couldn't quite decide was if he was being baited. Either way, had he not believed Roy's promises that he was safe with the man, he would have fled by now for the water. But as he did believe… he stayed. "Even so, I never meant to."

"One of your impulses?" Roy questioned as he sat.

"So it would seem." Edward muttered and turned back to the window. Raising a closed fist he rested it against the glass as he looked out over the sea, pushing his mother's words from his mind. He may not know if kissing Roy again would be something that would make him happy, but he wasn't about to find out.

No matter how the mere thought made him feel.

Roy watched him silently a moment longer before asking, "how many people have you kissed because you wanted to?"

Edward turned to stare at him, and for a long time he didn't answer before saying, very softly, "you."

Roy nodded slowly as he stood and crossed the room to the blond, giving him more than enough time to step aside. A signal he'd respect, but Edward held his ground with suspicious gold eyes. "And how many people have kissed you, not a selkie they'd called, but _you_, because they wanted to?" He asked as he reached a hand up to slip his fingers into drying blond hair.

Edward's eyes hardened in automatic defense even as something inside him trembled from more than Roy's words. "That's none of your concern." He replied as steadily as he could.

Roy's eyes searched the growingly defiant face before he nodded once in acceptance and pulled away. "You don't have to worry that I'd kiss you." He said as he abruptly turned to find himself something a bit stronger than water. "You made your feelings on it clear before… I won't kiss you unless you kiss me again. So keep that in mind."

"I won't kiss you." Edward whispered to himself as he tried to steady his heartbeat.

Roy paused at the still open refrigerator, a beer in his hand as he wavered indecisively a moment. And then he was putting the beer back away, shutting the fridge as he turned to Edward who was looking around the cottage where he still stood. "You said you hadn't really been around humans in over a hundred years?"

Edward looked over at him, then, "yes."

Roy smiled a bit and made his way to the patio deck doors. "Come on then, you've a lot to catch up on. It's time you act like a tourist in your own right and have some fun!"

"Fun?" Edward blinked as he followed after the human regardless. "Like disorienting orcas?"

Roy gave him a miffed look as he opened the left door for them. "Don't orcas eat seals?"

"Yes."

"You've been under the water too deep for too long." Roy decided at that moment, and as Edward followed him out the door he locked up before trotting down the stairs after the blond. He had hoped, and thus far was right, that a change of scenery would clear the heavy air that had been between them just minutes ago.

"So what do you do for fun then?" Edward asked as he hooked his thumbs in the pockets of the pants that were bagging on him.

Roy glanced over at him critically, "well… right now? Take sandy little hobo angels shopping for a belt."

"Not my fault you're fat." Edward muttered before his ire was suddenly engaged. "And stop calling me little!"

Roy laughed, hiding behind his arm as Edward smacked it. "So you're good just being my sandy angel?"

"Stuff it, fatty." Edward grumbled at him.

Roy leveled a reproving look at him. "Now, Edward, I distinctly remember you being present when I took my shirt off that morning to join you in the water."

"You may recall I was looking at you with a different set of eyes." He bantered back smugly.

"I doubt it distorted things at all." Roy argued, and then smirked. "I seem to remember you once calling me handsome… not fatty… I think I prefer the former."

Edward glanced up at him before grinning down at the ground. "You would."

The two wandered up into the tourist shopping district of the town, whereupon Edward walked just a bit closer to Roy as the man pretended not to notice. But even so, his eyes were always darting around to watch the activity with fascination. There were vendors on the sidewalks selling wares loudly, tourists everywhere, and established shops filled to bursting with patrons.

Roy made a brief stop at something he called an ATM, which shot money out at him after he'd inserted a piece of plastic. Something which Edward found fascinating, if not a form of cheating that poor machine out of money. He was sure that the plastic card was rigged somehow.

"There's so many more people on one tiny island… more than I've ever seen before." He remarked as he followed Roy to one of the vendors who was selling various novelties made out of seashells.

"You've been away a while." Roy pointed out as he looked over the selection.

Edward had to agree there, and with a short laugh he delicately picked up one such seashell creation – that of a seal playing with another shell while lying on its back. Turning it around in his hands he puzzled over it with a small happy smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Roy looked away from the two frogs fishing made of seashells and old fishing twine to smile as he saw the object of Edward's clear fascination. And setting the one he was looking at down, he nudged Edward lightly with his elbow. "You want it? I'll keep it safe for you."

Edward looked up at him, scandalized. "I couldn't possibly."

"Ah," Roy smirked at him, "but I could. I've decided to get it, even if you don't want me to." And carefully he hid his smile at the shock he could feel radiating from the blond as he enquired with the vendor as to the price, haggled for about a minute until they were both satisfied and he'd been invited to go fishing with him one day, and paid for the seashell seal.

Plucking it from Edward's hands he wrapped it in the newspaper he'd been provided and stuffed it into the gift bag before offering it to the blond with a smile. "Here."

Edward took it immediately with wide eyes, looking from it back up to Roy several times before he noticed the man turning to head off to keep wandering about. With a gasp he quickly darted after him while carefully clutching the bag to his chest. And when he reached Roy's side he beamed up at the man shyly. "Thank you…"

Roy smiled down at him before flushing a bit under the intensity of Edward's happiness. "You make me feel like I did more than buy you a trinket when you smile at me like that." He admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"You did." Edward told him softly, and peered down into the bag to smile at the newspaper wrapped seashell seal. "I've never been given a gift before." And as Roy met his eyes in shock that quickly began to turn to understanding, smiled at him as well. "Never."

Roy did blush then, and he reached a hand up to pat Edward on the head. "Then I'm glad I could solve that little missing part of your life."

Edward hesitated a moment before asking, "will you keep it for me? I have no way to keep it safe when I go into the water."

"Of course I will." Roy agreed instantly. "I'll make sure it's kept safe for you."

Satisfied and happy, Edward investigated all the vendors with Roy. Sometimes the man bought some things, including the belt that was needed, but mostly they just toured while licking at shaved ices that Edward had stared Roy into buying.

"So why is it that you like slushy ice stuff so much? Same as what you told me about the frozen daiquiris before?" Roy finally had to ask as Edward finished off the last of his with a happy slurp.

"We travel on a warm current? It rarely takes us anywhere with ice. But we love it… so anytime that we're able to get close to it, we do." Edward explained. "It's like that for all of us."

Roy tipped some more of his melting ice back into his mouth before, "you've mentioned your mother, and some others, but what about your father? Does he not travel with you as well?"

Edward shook his head as he looked up at the man, "my father? He was…" and he searched for a way to say it in public in case he was overheard, "like you."

It took Roy a moment to catch on, and then he blinked in shock. "Oh, I see." And as he recalled, Edward had said he'd been born in the north Atlantic. "Did you ever meet him?"

Edward shook his head once more. "He died not knowing about me. Back when I was born humans didn't live very long lives. By the time I was old enough to ask, he was gone. My mother was quite sad about it… I still remember… I was named after him."

Roy frowned before understanding crossed his face, "your mother loved him."

"We are capable of love." Edward gave him a small smile. "My mother is one of the few who has ever been brave enough to allow love to happen with such a man." He looked away with a shake of his head. "And for her risk she got me… and a dead lover by the time the current carried us back to where I was conceived."

"Did he know?" Roy asked, knowing his meaning was clear even without clarification. Clarification he couldn't risk, lest he was overheard.

"Yes." Edward answered as his head tipped back so he could stare up at the clear sky. "At least, I think so. She told me when I was older that he'd begun construction on a summer home before he died, one that had a room connected to the ocean through the floor. I can think of no other reason he'd build such a thing unless he knew. It was never finished."

Roy was silent a moment as he guided Edward through the throng of tourist shoppers. "He must have loved your mother very much. I'm sure he would have loved you as well."

Edward's head tipped back down and he met Roy's eyes with a slight smile. "Had I known him, perhaps I would have grown up feeling differently about them." He waved a hand around to indicate the humans around them. "But as it is…" he looked ahead with a quiet sigh, "what I've experienced, it's hard for me to trust. Harder than I expect it would have been… perhaps I would have grown up seeing things with more shades of grey."

Roy could understand that, and he did understand it. He may not have been told specifics of things that had happened to Edward. But he could guess at them. And he knew firsthand the fear Edward had of losing his sealskin to a human. It wasn't a fear that was born out of nothing.

"Do you trust me?"

Edward looked over quickly, actually jerking to a halt as he stared at Roy with wide eyes. And as the man stopped as well, watching, but saying nothing more to him, he cast his gaze downward uncertainly. "Not without reservations." He answered honestly, knowing that an honest answer was what the man was looking for. He suspected Roy knew that the answer could come back unfavorably. "I trust you… but not blindly. Not unconditionally."

Roy had suspected as much, and gave a quick nod before resuming walking. "I'd not expect unconditional right now. But I'm glad, for what I do have."

Edward followed after him not long later, tagging along behind him as he stared at Roy's feet as they moved. "You're the only outsider who has it." He replied at last, almost too quietly to be heard. But he knew he was when Roy suddenly half-turned while still walking to give him a knowing smile.

They continued to walk along the streets, Roy allowing Edward to actually get a good look around at how the world had changed while feeling relatively safe enough to do so. He wasn't about to let anyone try and touch Edward whilst he was around, although he was glad for the bagging length of the pants he'd lent Edward to wear, they completely covered that strip of sealskin around his ankle that could potentially mark him as a selkie.

However, there was nothing he could do about how Edward looked. It wasn't that he outshone everyone around him, or that he was beautiful beyond compare. Yes, he was beautiful. Roy could never deny it. But there was something about him, underneath the looks… that something that had first made him think of Edward as an angel.

Something he knew wouldn't change. Perhaps it was some inborn selkie characteristic… but perhaps not. All he knew was that it was like gravity to his eyes.

"I'm getting a bit hungry," he said at last, knowing instinctively with his stomach that it was nearing dinnertime for him. "Would you like to join me? I'll save you some shrimp raw if you like, and I may not have the things to make a frozen daiquiri with, but I do have more cold water."

Edward looked up at him with unreadable golden eyes before giving a small nod that started off hesitant. And a smile flickered at the corners of his mouth as he nodded firmer this time. "But don't worry about the shrimp. You've already fed me some from what was supposed to be entirely yours, I could not take more." And raising his hand as he saw Roy about to comment, "I just hope you have a decent filleting knife. I'll catch my dinner and bring it back."

"Do you eat anything besides seafood?" Roy asked as they started back.

"Every now and then a seagull that pisses me off when I'm trying to sunbathe." Edward growled, feeling a spark of happiness when Roy laughed. "Sometimes certain plants. I'm not entirely sure what you call some of them. I've tried cakes and things? Don't like them much at all… but I enjoy berries and whipped cream. Oh, and ice cream of course!" Edward grinned then, "I love the coldness of it."

"So you don't like food that has been processed, basically." Roy concluded, as ice cream, when the selkie would have last had it, wasn't as mass produced and would have likely been freshly churned. No additives or preservatives processed into it.

The way ice cream should be.

Edward nodded, "baked things make me sick. The purer a food is to its original state, the better. Ice cream is a rare exception, for which I am very thankful."

"Nothing cooked? Except for ice cream that came from a hot custard, I'm assuming."

Edward nodded, silently happy that Roy was so absorbent of what he was saying. "Right."

Roy filed the information away, making a mental note that he needed to search around for an ice cream maker. He was interested to see just how much Edward enjoyed the stuff after knowing how the blond enjoyed every other icy type of item. And the mere fact that ice cream was enjoyed anyway was all the more intrigue.

They walked back to Seolh Bay together, and Edward followed Roy back to the cottage where he changed into those swim trunks in the man's bedroom so that he'd not get the clothes Roy had lent him soaked through. He left those other clothes neatly folded on the bed before walking out.

"I'll figure out something for you, some sort of system for clothes so that you don't have to keep stealing or wearing wet ones." Roy said as he heard Edward come out of his bedroom. "Since I'm hoping you'll continue to come back… until we figure out what it is you're supposed to find in me."

"We?" Edward echoed as he slowly made his way over to where Roy stood at the counter chopping garlic for his dinner. And as he came up to the man's side, he looked up to meet Roy's gaze as the human turned to him.

"Yes." Roy agreed softly. "I'm a part of this too. It takes two people to be friends, after all. Plurals and everything."

Edward's brows knitted together a moment as he seemed to no longer see Roy, though he was looking straight up at him still. "And what happens if in two months when the current moves on and I must follow, we haven't?"

Roy gave him a wry smile. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. No use making plans like that now when it's not even been a full day."

Edward's eyes focused on Roy then, and he gave a slight smile back. "I suppose you're right… I'll be back shortly. Two hundred and thirty-six years later, I'm a fairly decent and quick hunter."

"I should hope so." Roy grinned. "Just come in when you're done."

Edward's head tipped slightly in a nod, and he gave the human a last long look before turning on his heel and hurrying from the cottage. The door he'd opened swung shut behind him and he trotted down the stairs and down to the sand. As he made his way down the beach he glanced back behind him to the cottage.

It was small, white aside from the patio deck surrounding the better part of it, and had seemingly more windows than wood. It seemed a strange place for someone to stay, the only dwelling on the Bay area… he couldn't help but wonder why Roy had chosen to live there. To him, it seemed lonely.

Shaking his head a bit to clear his thoughts he changed his course towards the rock outcropping which would provide sufficient coverage for him to shapeshift behind, and splashed into the water. Once he'd waded in, and was assured that he was in privacy, he ducked under the water even as his body changed.

A moment later he was snatching the stolen swim trunks with his teeth and rocketing off through the water to firstly hide the article of clothing where he could find it again and it would not float away, and once that was done, head off out into open ocean in search of dinner.

All the while growling his annoyance at the current and his own instinct arguing that he go back to Roy _immediately._

He gave a rebellious slap of his tail against the water to shoot him faster through it, his flippers easily cutting a path for him as he went in hot pursuit of dinner.

He found dinner in the form of a school of black sea bass that had been congregating around a rock piling about twenty meters down and just off the brink of the Bay waters. Their congregation scattered the moment only one of them noticed him, but he was unconcerned as they all broke off in different directions amid their panic. No, this was the fun part!

An excited trill reverberated through him as he sped off after one of the younger, but still large, bass. It would be tastier.

The bass fled for it as fast as it could.

As the bass cut a sharp turn, trying to lose him, Edward threw himself into a near right angle turn to shoot after him. It closed a bit of the gap remaining between them, and as the bass fled upwards, clearly intending to try to lose him where the waves churned up the clarity of the water, Edward only gave a thrilled shriek and sped faster.

The bass was _his_!

And coming in under it, Edward forced them at their rapid speed straight to the surface, unconcerned about any visibility issues. The water rushed past him, thunder in his ears. As he rushed up on the fish, he followed it out of the sea with a crash of the waves breaking around their bodies. Seawater sprayed everywhere in their wake, and Edward's jaws snapped like a steel trap around the scaled body.

Angling himself backwards with his prize firmly clamped, but not crushed, in his jaws, Edward curled into a ball just as he crashed back under the water. The foam of white bubbled and reddened water swirled around him, but as soon as he had his bearings he shot off through it. Prize along for the ride.

He just needed to get out of the area before a shark came, lured by the scent of the blood.

As he swam he clicked happily to himself. For him, there were few things in life that gave him so much pleasure as hunting, and shortly thereafter, eating. But it was difficult at best to restrain the habit of immediately eating his catch since he was going to have dinner with Roy.

He tried not to notice how the thought of having dinner with the human made his steady swimming falter momentarily.

Returning to the Bay, and finding where he'd left the swim trunks, he did a juggling act he wasn't sure he could duplicate to both grab the trunks and keep a hold on his fish. But he did succeed, and soon swam further in back to the rock outcropping.

Popping the top of his head above the surface just enough to scan his surroundings, he waited until a jogger had passed by on the beach before ducking under and shapeshifting back to his human form. Once he had, and had pulled on the swim trunks which he had half an idea were backwards, he grabbed his bass out of the water where it had been floating and began to slosh his way up to the beach.

As he did so, and began to trek up to the cottage, he took a look at his catch of the evening. It was a perfect young fish, large enough to feed him, but small enough to still be tender and not stringy. And the scales of the now dead and googly-eyed fish were a lovely black color. Yes, he would be an easy enough fish to prepare for his sushi.

He climbed the short flight of steps up the patio deck and crossed over to the twin doors where he let himself in.

Roy looked around as he heard the door open, and he smiled instantly in welcome as he saw Edward enter. "Nice swim?"

"Short chase, but yes, nice." Edward agreed as he shut the door behind him.

Roy abandoned the stove, turning the heat down, so he could go over and assist the still dripping wet blond. "I'll start cleaning up your fish if you want to go get dry and changed."

Edward looked down at the puddle he was making, up to the fish, and then up to Roy with a nod as the man came over to him. "Okay. Sorry about the blood, he's not completely drained yet." And he offered the fish out.

Roy took it without a flinch, already inspecting it. "Black sea bass?" He angled it around. "A nice one… but," his eyes were now on the puncture and crush marks around its body, "I knew your teeth were sharp, but these are very clean marks. Like a sharp knife versus a dull one."

"I held back, actually." Edward admitted a bit self-consciously as he grinned at the human. "I could have snapped him in three if I'd not been planning to eat with you. We're hunted by some of the deadliest predators in the ocean, so we do learn a few things about hunting and killing our prey that leaves nothing to chance."

"Have you been hunted by an orca? I know you mentioned those." Roy said curiously as he turned to head back to the kitchen with the bass, his gaze slipping from Edward's.

Edward began to make his way towards Roy's bedroom so he could towel off and change, and then dry up the puddle he'd made. "Fourteen times, in fact. They're persistent and mean when they get their sights on you. And I've been hunted by sharks countless times. But they're at least easier to disable long enough to make a clean getaway. Just had to pay attention to the dolphins."

"So these others, do they not know what you really are?" Roy asked, his head turning towards the blond as he set the fish into the sink for rinsing.

"No." Edward shrugged, pausing at the doorway to Roy's room as he looked back at the human. "Not like you or I would think about it. But they're no different than you, how you thought about me before you knew… that I'm either a human, or a seal. And to two of those I mentioned, I'm still food either way. The dolphins just get confused, but that's the extent of it."

Roy turned back to the bass taking up room in his sink, and turned on the cold water tap. "Ever been hunted by humans? I heard something about there being a time in the past where seals were hunted for meat and such."

Edward was silent a long moment which seemed to drag on forever before he gave a sad seeming smile. "Yes, I have been." And saying nothing further, quickly ducked his head and spun through the doorway to snap the bedroom door closed behind him.

Standing there with his palms still against it, his head bowed further as he let out a weary sigh.

Roy stared at the door for a long time before he finally drug himself back to his task. So he started to wash the fish while beginning to understand the bigger picture of why Edward had no trust at all for humans, except the little that the selkie had in him. It seemed though, that perhaps Edward had had more near misses with a harpoon, than individuals like that drunken broad who'd managed to temporarily swipe Edward's sealskin.

But he got the clear feeling that Edward didn't want to talk about it. And really, could he begrudge the selkie this one thing that he _didn't_ seem to want to share?

Looking over at where he had propped the seashell seal on the counter, he smiled. No… he couldn't.

Pulling the fish out of the sink onto a cutting board he began to gut the fish with practiced ease. And once he had completed the messy affair and dumped the unusable portions into the trash, he rinsed the deboned fillets so that he could slice them up as they should be for sushi.

He had cleaned up the mess his kitchen had become in order to safely be making sushi, when Edward came back out of the bedroom. And his brief glance towards the blond suddenly jerked to a stop and became a longer one.

Edward was halfway with a towel to clean up the puddles he'd made when he felt Roy's eyes on him. Stopping, he gave the man a confused look. "What?"

Roy slowly began to grin, "you showered, didn't you. I didn't hear it over the sink water, but you did."

Edward blinked at him, golden eyes incredulously wide. "Why do you say that?"

Roy felt the heat begin to creep into his face, but found himself unable to look away. "Because your hair looks combed for the first time in a century or two, and I saw some of those knots, you'd need to work them out with conditioner."

And when that blond hair was hanging damply around the selkie's shoulders, straight and at its full length, it only made him look more like the creature of seduction that the women and girls he'd met painted selkies to be. Edward was already stunning to the eyes, and this…? This didn't hurt at all. For right now Edward seemed to glow without the sand and drying saltwater on his skin.

Edward reached a hand up to finger the neatly combed wet strands with a small smile. "I didn't think you'd mind. I had fish blood on my hands as it was, figured I may as well wash the rest of me."

"Of course I don't mind." Roy assured him, while mentally groaning that now he had images of Edward naked in his shower dancing through his mind. But he firmly tried to squash those.

Edward smiled at him cheerfully. "Good. But you're right, I hadn't done anything with my hair in quite a long time. Though it's not as bad as you might think. I don't spend much time normally in this shape, it's hard for me to mess my hair up too badly."

Roy gladly latched on for a topic, minor though it was, to try and help him ignore his hormones and active imagination into silence. He still desired Edward, that he knew. More than ever before. But he refused to act on it without Edward's permission, something he sincerely doubted he'd ever get. "I did notice you try and keep your whiskers clean."

"Wouldn't you?" Edward smirked at him, and chuckling, moved towards the puddles to kneel and begin sponging them up with the towel in his hands.

Roy smiled after him a moment before tearing his gaze from the sight of Edward, dwarfed in the clothes he'd given him, and began to work on the fillets of bass. He'd not expected that Edward would become conscientious about his cottage… but then, he really didn't know all too much yet about the blond. It was something he was aiming to change in this pact that they at least try and become friends.

Edward finished toweling up the puddles and wiping up what chunks of wet sand he could find, tossing the towel into the laundry bin in Roy's bathroom, before going out to join the man in the kitchen. Resting his hands on the same counter Roy was working at, he peered at the man's progress with interest. "You're good at this."

Roy half-smiled and worked on the last section, quickly turning it into something more artistic looking than a simple fillet of fish. "I should be." He shrugged and set the knife in the sink to be washed before tending to washing his hands.

Edward grabbed an empty plate that was on the counter and began to snag the pieces of fish onto it, a delighted gleam in his eyes. "Do you eat much sushi?"

"Not me personally." Roy corrected as he dried his hands while making his way back over to check on his own dinner. "But when I turned seventeen, my mother took me aside and taught me how to cook all sorts of things. According to her, I would surely starve if left on my own, and she didn't want me calling her every night crying for help." An amused smile flitted across his face as he added, "and she was right, by the way. That year of my life saved my ass, even though at the time I thought it was the dumbest thing she'd yet to put me through."

Edward chuckled and stood aside to patiently wait for Roy. "I never really have to worry about it, but I can appreciate someone who can do it well."

"Oh," Roy teased, "you _appreciate_ me now. Is that all I've gotten to? The _appreciation_ stage?"

"Shut it." Edward warned through a slight smirk and glittering eyes.

Roy sniggered and waved for the blond to follow him. "Grab your water." He instructed, making a short detour to grab his own up from where he'd set it earlier on the floor, before walking over to the twin patio deck doors. Somehow balancing his load he managed to swing them both open wide, the view greeting him as he walked barefoot out onto the deck and sat himself down against the outer wall of the cottage under one of the windowsills.

Edward padded out after him, looking around a bit before sitting down about three feet from Roy, but at least he'd not gone ahead and sat on the other side of the doors. Relaxing back against the wall he looked out over Seolh Bay as the sun began to sink lower towards the horizon. Only less than an hour now from sunset. "This is the strangest day I've ever had."

Roy looked over at him, chewing on his bite of food as he watched Edward select a piece of fish and bite into it delicately. And he muffled a chuckle in his mouthful of food as the selkie seemed to light up delightedly as a purring trill escaped him. He need not ask to know the general meaning of _that_ noise. When it was safe he swallowed his mouthful. "For being as old as you are, I'm going to have to take that as a compliment."

Edward turned his head to look at the human, the fish between his fingers momentarily forgotten. "Meeting you has been an adventure for me. I still mean what I said that night… I'm glad I met you. You're a surprising human."

"I've been called many things…" Roy mused, "and that, coming from you, certainly ranks near the top of the 'good' section."

At that, Edward smirked. "And what did it rank as when I called you shallow?"

Roy still remembered that night well… the precursor to some very angst-ridden four days for him, all leading up to the night he'd somehow come to accept what Edward was without much of anything but an acceptance of origin he was clueless to name. But the fact remained that he hadn't ever exactly freaked out about what Edward was, or gone through a denial stage.

Tilting his head, he considered the question with the respect it was due, before replying, "at first, in that area where you think you'll forget about it. But I think we've established that I'm shit at forgetting you. Or anything to do with you."

"So now it bothers you to an extent that I called you shallow and meant it?" Edward pressed.

Roy tried not to scowl at the blond. "Yes, to an extent. Do you still think that about me?"

Edward gave him a flat look, "solicit me again and I will. You've been making up for it. But you were shallow that time, yes."

"I've told you," Roy replied expressionlessly as he turned back to his dinner, "I won't kiss you unless you kiss me again, and I won't take advantage of you."

"I know." Edward answered softly, ducking his head to stare at the wood of the deck.

Roy nodded, watching as the blond resumed eating before adding, smilingly, "I seem to remember you calling me handsome too. That kind of helped ease the sting of being called shallow."

"You are handsome." Edward repeated as his dinner became even more fascinating.

Roy saw the faint redness color Edward's cheeks and his smile only twitched in amusement before he reached for his water glass. "Blushing looks good on you." And he quickly hid a grin as he saw Edward fumble his plate of sushi out of the corner of his eye.

Edward managed not to dump his dinner all over the patio deck, and growlingly popped another bite of fish in his mouth to eat before saying, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mhm." Roy hummed in his amusement, but didn't press the issue.

As Edward was able to again focus his full attention on the taste of the fish, and the coldness of the water in the glass, he began to feel a good deal less surly about having blushed, and a good deal happier. Happy in the way that he reverted back to his tendencies to trill his enjoyment, in Roy's presence, he knew the man wouldn't think it too odd.

But he had no idea just how it _was_ affecting Roy.

Roy had long since forgotten how his food tasted. He may as well have been eating the plate and it would have tasted fine. He was even eating on autopilot, while trying to act as if he weren't, while practically staring at the selkie who had no clue right now about the observation. Did Edward even _know_ how hard it was to keep his promises not to jump the selkie when he was making noises like _that_?

Fuck.

He had thought he was screwed before…

But listening to Edward practically make joyful love to the sushi?

Perhaps he was slowly descending through sweet, delicious layers of hell. Because as torturous as this was, it was wonderful, and he burned with unholy desire to take Edward to the bedroom and _really_ give him something to purr over.

But he continued to abstain, unwilling to break his promises to Edward.

Though nothing was preventing him from continuing to watch and listen.

After they were both finished eating, Roy made certain to draw one knee up to help avoid Edward slapping him for the third time, and they began to work on finishing their glasses of water as they watched the sun set.

"Where were you before this?" Roy eventually wondered in an effort to try and distract his libido.

"I believe the humans call it Lanzarote. We were there for about three weeks, and then about one week riding the current to here." Edward had been glad to move on when the time had come, he had enjoyed those waters, but the scenery, to him, had left much to be desired.

Roy slowly nodded, he hadn't heard of the place, but that didn't mean it didn't exist. He made a mental note though to find an atlas somewhere to see just where this Lanzarote was. "Do you spend most of your time in the Atlantic area?"

"About a quarter of it every three years." It was rather difficult to explain… but he'd do his best. "The current cycles around. Last year I spent only a fraction of my time in Atlantic area waters, the greater half of it was spent in more Pacific and Arctic areas, the latter of which we were all overjoyed for."

"So whereabouts would you be off to after here?" It wasn't a topic Roy particularly liked, but he was still curious.

Edward tilted his head to the side as he thought about it. "Well… either Australia or Antarctica. It's hit or miss really, always has been between those two."

"I'm fairly sure I know which one you'd prefer." Roy laughed.

Edward grinned at him, "it's cold in Antarctica. Sure, there are orcas that will go there as well… but it's cold. And what humans _do_ live or travel down in that area can't ever get to the spots we can. It's beautiful there too."

"And Australia?"

"You think there are a lot of tourists here, parading about blocking your view?" Edward waved a hand to where said tourists were finally beginning to turn around and head back into town for the night as the sunset began to paint the sky with shades of red and orange, and cause the sea to glitter gold against the blue waters. "Australia is ten times worse. We usually spend our days underneath the water having fun and then come out at night to enjoy the moonlight."

"And what typically qualifies as fun for someone like you?" Roy asked, genuinely curious. "Besides disorienting orcas."

Edward felt his mouth pull into a faint smile, "we play games with each other. Silly things mostly, but we're entertained. We'll scare and herd around fish, and the one who manages to separate off the most from a school wins."

"Wins what?" Roy pressed wickedly.

Edward huffed, wriggling about where he sat to try and make himself look taller. "Just wins. I told you it's silly. But we have fun with it."

"That's really all that matters." Roy smiled at him.

"When you can live as long as we do, it is." Edward agreed softly as he watched the sunset with detached fascination. "You have a different perspective on life and what matters the most."

Roy could see the sense in that, "how often do you win at these games? You told me you were a good hunter."

"I am." Edward agreed firmly. "I do fairly well, I win more than I lose… although it's difficult when your mother tries to sabotage you."

"I think all mothers are supposed to do that at one point or another." Roy mused aloud through his quiet laughter.

Edward rolled his eyes. "She's lucky I love her."

Roy smirked at him, "so do all selkies stay in the same pod with their parents?"

"Depends. I chose to stay with the pod because I've never run across another not populated by at least one idiot. And I dare not be alone out there."

"You don't seem the type to associate with idiots." Roy noted.

Edward snorted derisively, "certainly not. They only bring more risk to the rest, and just between us, I'd sacrifice the idiot to whatever shark or orca showed up next. Use it as a good escape plan."

Roy couldn't help but laugh at the idea, shaking his head as he realized just how crafty Edward had it in him to be. "No wonder your pod is idiot free. Just don't use your own mother like that."

"She's safe, she's not senile yet." Edward grinned, and then it faded into a small smile as he looked down towards his knees. "Even though some of the things she says are completely ridiculous."

Now Roy was curious! "Oh? What qualifies as ridiculous?"

Edward felt the heat try and creep back into his face as he recalled his earlier conversation with his mother. "We were talking about you. But that's all I'll say."

"Yes… her forcing you to come back and see me." Roy drawled as his head clunked back against the wall as he watched the darkness gather in the sky. "Has it been so bad?"

Edward's head bowed, tipping to the side so he could catch the man in his line of sight. "You bought me my first ever gift… and spent your afternoon with me when you didn't have to. I wouldn't call it bad." And a smile began to work its way onto his face, "after all, I'm still here, aren't I?"

Roy felt himself smile back as he let out a relaxed breath of air. "Well I won't apologize for giving your mother the chance to have an 'I told you so' moment."

"I'm sure she was having one the moment I gave in." Edward predicted dryly. "But now that I've stayed this long with you… I'll never hear the end of it when I get back."

"I'd offer you my couch," Roy began, "but I fear your mother would believe I kidnapped you, and I'd rather not incur the wrath of an almost eight hundred year old selkie."

Edward was glad for the gathering darkness that hid his faint blush as he said, "something like that." Rather, his mother would probably believe he'd stayed the night with Roy willingly… and not on a couch. Instead of being wrathful, his mother would probably invite Roy to sun with them on their rocks.

"Or perhaps a doggy bed." Roy grinned then. "How do you usually sleep?"

"Very well, thank you." Edward sniggered at him, and at Roy's look. "It depends on the weather and the temperature. It depends on if I need my blubber."

Roy nodded sagaciously. "Yes, blubber is a good thing if it's cold. Now see humans, we use blankets."

"You humans would need more than blankets in Antarctica." Edward informed him absently before taking another sip of his cooling water.

"I'll have to take your word on that one. I'm not the type to vacation in a place like that," he chuckled and waved a hand about them, "as you can see."

Edward smirked and looked around as well at the now almost completely dark beach, shadowed by palms, the waves rolling in glittering under the moonlight. "It's not too bad a place. Sure, it's not cold… but it's pretty still."

"Weather isn't everything." Roy stated through a mostly stifled sigh. "Besides, if we hadn't met here, you wouldn't have been my sandy little angel. You'd by my snowy little angel instead."

Edward glowered over at him and growled, "not little."

Roy smirked at him, "compared to me you are. And it doesn't sound half as nice to call you just my sandy angel."

"I'm never going to win at getting you not to call me that, am I." Edward realized.

"Sandy little angel?" Roy guessed, "nope."

Edward hummed thoughtfully a moment, considering Roy through still slightly glowering eyes. "I suppose it could be worse. More… cutesy."

Roy could agree there, though he didn't believe it was a cutesy name as much as it was an honest one. The blond had earned it. "Well it fits. And you _are_ rather cute."

"Hey!" Edward bristled in indignation even as he flushed in embarrassment and a flash of pleasure that he'd not admit to.

Roy held up his hands quickly to stave off too much wrath, though he ducked with a laugh as Edward swatted at him. "You are! What, you can call me handsome and I can't tell you with all honesty that you're adorable?"

"_Adorable_?" Edward swatted at him again, leaning over towards the man to gain more room to finally land a hit.

Roy grinned as he rubbed at his abused shoulder. "Beautiful, charming, abusive – " he cut off with another burst of laughter as Edward lost his balance in reaching over for another swat, causing Roy to be tackled down onto the deck. Still laughing quietly he raised a hand up to brush his fingers through the soft blond hair tumbling down around Edward's shoulders as the selkie propped himself up in shock. "Graceless." He added on sudden decision.

Edward quickly scrambled away from him, blushing. "You're evil."

Roy righted himself, still laughing softly. "To an extent, sandy little angel."

"You're clearly overtired." Edward decided firmly as he got to his feet fidgeting. "And I really should be going now."

Roy knew at that moment that he'd _really_ flustered the blond. So he merely felt amused that Edward was about to bolt for it. "Will I see you again tomorrow?" He merely asked as he rose to his feet as well to smile down at the blond.

"Goodnight, Roy." Edward replied with a hint of a smile, choosing not to answer the question as he turned to trot down the stairs of the deck and down to the sand.

Roy chuckled softly as he watched Edward retreat, "goodnight!" He called after him, and then, "just make sure you bring those clothes back so I can wash the saltwater out of them!"

Edward half-turned as he walked, fighting back another smile as he raised his hand in a goodbye. And then feeling oddly light of heart considering what had caused him to make his retreat sooner than he'd planned, he jogged the rest of the way down to the sea.

Roy stood on his deck, watching, as Edward vanished into the sea. When he was sure the selkie was gone he stooped to gather their dishes before heading inside. "Just come back." He murmured as he shut the door behind him.

**X**

Roy woke the next morning feeling more than a little surprised that he'd actually slept through the entire night, and felt rested. He'd have thought that surely his anxiousness over whether or not Edward would return to him again would have kept him tossing and turning, almost akin to how he'd slept those nights up until Edward's return yesterday.

…who was he kidding?

Roy snorted and tossed the covers off of himself, feeling the cool breeze from the open bedroom window wash against his sleep-warmed skin. He hadn't slept well at all, not like he just had, since he'd met the blond. Edward played havoc with his feelings… and the only reason he could place as to why he'd not had somewhat, or entirely restless sleep this time, was because he and Edward had parted ways on good terms.

Not good terms like how he'd said goodbye to Edward that night at the bar, intending to never see his sandy little angel again, he wasn't sure in hindsight he could call it good so much as just 'terms'. But this time they'd parted ways happily. Happy with each other.

There was a lot to be said, it seemed, from mutual happiness.

But now that he was awake his entire focus was already on the blond. Such that he actually poked his head out the doors to see if Edward was out there before letting out a sigh and turning to go fix himself breakfast.

As he waited in between waffles, Roy leaned back against the counter to contemplate the seashell seal that was on the opposite counter. One less traveled, therefore safe for display. Although he fully intended to go back to the hardware store and buy the supplies he'd need to build a small shelf on which to display it out in the main room where it would have more of a presence in his cottage.

He was smiling faintly as he studied it, remembering fondly how fascinated by it Edward had been… how delighted the blond had become when he'd given it to him as a gift. A bit of color returned to his cheeks as he dwelled a bit longer than he'd planned on that smile Edward had given him.

It took so very little to make Edward happy. The blond was so unassuming once he relaxed, slowly gathering more trust for him. It was a quality that Roy, frankly, adored. And whatever he could do to see Edward happy, he knew he'd do it.

"There really is no hope for me." Roy whispered with a sudden regretful grimace as he turned back to changing out one cooked waffle for fresh batter. "I doubt he'll ever return my feelings." The selkie was too guarded about that, and he couldn't see how any amount of time spent together would change it.

But at least they could try to aim for friendship. If that was all he ever had with Edward, he knew it was better than the nothing he'd once tried for.

He sat down with a stack of waffles drenched in maple syrup to continue feeding his appetite that was still on the mend, now that it was no longer stifled by his pining. There was still no sign of Edward when he finished, so he resigned himself to going to take a shower and make himself presentable.

It was almost eight a.m. when he ventured outside, trotting down the steps of his patio deck to look around at the crowding beach and human-saturated waters. Yet he couldn't pick out that blond hair anywhere. There were blonds, sure… but none of the kind he desired.

"All right then." Roy came to a sudden decision, turning around to head over to the side of his cottage. "It's crowded as hell out there… I may as well make this easy for the both of us if he's out there."

Grabbing the dinghy he began to haul it to the water purposefully.

Upon reaching the surf he loudly ordered swimmers out of his way, and worked on getting the dinghy out and floating until he reached a point where he could jump in and begin oaring his way out towards the mouth of the Bay. The oars cut like knives through the water that was still somewhat quiet, and carried him out further, past the surfers and onward.

Roy whistled lowly to himself as he made his way out towards the sea surrounding the national park bordering one side of his cottage. Edward had never said specifically… but he had a feeling that this would be the area the selkies would most likely be in. Being national park waters, there were fewer tourists, as he'd learned on his hike that there were no coral reefs out this way. Just sheer rock cliffs, rocks, and open waters.

Seemed like the idyllic location for a pod of selkies to make port for a while.

He figured, hoped, that Edward would notice him before he actually found the others and had to disturb them as they tried to make like regular seals… yet if that had to be the case, he knew he'd be able to spot Edward without trouble.

Or at least announce who he was, and become acquainted with Edward's mother.

He snorted in amusement at the mental image there. "You better not make me row this thing too far." Roy grumbled as he smilingly put renewed effort into rowing the dinghy.

Meanwhile approximately one hundred yards further…

Aur lifted his head sharply out of a dead sleep, instantly awake despite finally having gotten a decent nights rest and the potential to happily have more.

"_What is it?"_

Aur looked over to where his mother was splashing about in the surf about six feet off, watching over the pups of the pod while their parents looked to be out for a good swim. _"He's coming closer."_

"_Your Roy?"_ Aur's mother asked with wickedly delighted interest.

"_He's not mine!"_ Aur protested in what could have been a whine before he launched himself down headfirst into the water, popping up long enough to add, _"damn impatient human." _

And then he was gone with a rush of water.

His mother began to quietly bark in laughter as she turned back to playing with the pups. Her son could deny it all he wanted, but it was becoming clear to her that Aur liked this Roy more than he wanted to admit.

Aur swam fast through the cooler waters of the morning, cutting through them effortlessly as he pelted out towards where he could feel the tug that he now knew and accepted as belonging to Roy. Fish scattered before him, but he didn't give chase as he normally would. Instead he homed in on Roy, ignoring the feelings rising within him as he did so. Feelings that had a part to play with the seal-smile on his face as he finally saw ahead the dark shape of a familiar dinghy on the water.

With a trill he cut a turn to the side to come at the dinghy from the side bow. And then surging up towards the surface he broke it within mere feet of the dinghy, slamming his front flippers against it to change its course towards open ocean.

Roy swore as he gripped the sides of the dinghy as it rocked violently and nearly capsized, but his glare was half-hearted at best when he turned it on the seal who was chirping amusedly while floating on his back. "You've developed a habit."

Edward turned over to sink down through the water before popping up on the other side of the dinghy in his human shape. "You're amusing when you swear like that. Besides, you can't wait until lunch to see me?"

Roy rolled his eyes but knelt down off the bench to kneel in the belly of the dinghy. "Who said I was wanting to see you? I could just be out here for a pleasure cruise."

"You were going too fast for that." Edward remarked with a smirk as he continued to tread water.

Roy smiled back helplessly at him, "I guess I didn't think this far ahead. Coming up with an excuse so I don't look incredibly lame." He ran a hand back through his hair with a ragged breath. "And needy."

Edward bit his cheek to try and hide a smile, but feared he failed. "It's actually not as lame as you might think." And swimming his way up to the boat he threw an arm over the edge so he'd be able to hang there and not have to tread water. "It seems more like an… us…" he blushed despite himself, "thing. You coming out here and not taking it for granted that I should always come to you."

Roy very nearly blushed himself at those last words. Because honestly, that was the only way he wanted Edward to come… but he quickly got a grip on himself, though it was difficult with that rather fetching blush on the blond. He'd not lied last night, blushing looked good on Edward. "My ego is somewhat saved then by your excellent diplomacy. It _was_ rather crowded there this morning… I thought you might have found it difficult."

Which was the truth, but even that truth was overridden by the truth that he'd just been impatient to see Edward again.

"Your ego never needed saving." Edward replied softly, golden eyes searching Roy's, "thank you for coming to find me. Damn impatient human."

Roy laughed a bit, unable to help but smile. "Think of this as _my_ version of running across a beach to you."

Edward smiled back, and he slipped down into the water fully again. "Keep going the way you were. You'll shortly run across a small cove. I'll meet you there. I have to get some clothes."

Roy didn't even have a chance to answer before a streamlined seal back was arching down through the water and gone. So with a miffed sort of smile he went back to rowing the dinghy. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to do when he found Edward, so he was dually curious to find out what the golden-eyed angel had in mind.

He really hadn't planned this through.

It was as Edward had said, he didn't have to go very far at all before he found the cove that had been alluded to, and he pulled the dinghy up to dock in the sand, grabbing out the mooring line to fasten it around a nearby scrawny tree. It would hold the boat well enough, the current in here was placid.

As he waited for Edward to appear he took the chance to look around.

The cove was small, to be sure. Surrounded on two ends by sheer precipices of dirt and rock anchored by thick roots and vines, one of the other ends was a steep animal trail cutting down out of thick trees that led out to the other end which was the water. The entire bank was soft sand, plush in its relatively undisturbed state, and shaded by the fronds of the trees up on the ledges and dotting the small spit of shoreline.

Roy smiled faintly as he walked over to plop himself down in the sand, back up against a peeling tree trunk. "Edward…" he murmured to himself, eyes on the water, "you better not ditch me."

So he was happy when about ten minutes later Edward's head popped out of the water near the edge of the cove. The articles of clothing that he'd been leant floating to the top of the water.

"Closing my eyes." Roy announced without being prompted, covering them with one hand as well for good measure. Not that he wouldn't _want_ to see Edward naked and dripping wet… fuck, the blond had a nice enough upper body as it was, but adding wetness to the equation?

Great, now he was going to have an issue in his _own_ pants, and he hadn't even gotten to the even better part of briefly allowing himself to imagine what the lower half of the blond must look like to go along with that upper half.

He really was screwed... he just hoped that Edward didn't notice anything he didn't want the blond to. He'd rather not get clobbered over the head with a piece of driftwood.

"You can look." Edward finally announced, having at least drawn on the pants. The other items he'd set over the edge of the boat to dry.

And god help him, did he _ever_ want to look. Or perhaps stare to his heart's content since he wasn't allowed to touch. "I'm hopeless." Roy murmured to himself under his breath as he drew his hand away and opened his eyes to blink Edward into sight.

Edward smiled faintly as he finished walking over to Roy to kneel in the sand next to where the man sat, resting back on his calves as he contemplated the human with curious golden eyes. "We've got all day… what did you want to do?"

Roy blinked several times in surprise. "You want to spend the whole day with me?"

Edward nodded slowly, as if still thinking about it. But he'd already made up his mind. "I'd just be sunning on rocks or swimming around or something. I do that all the time… and if I'm to figure this all out, whatever is between us…" he trailed off, glancing away from Roy to stare at the sand with a frown shadowing his brow, "then I should spend time with you. Work on this friends thing that you have proposed."

Roy didn't even remark in jest that he might have other things to do than spend time with Edward. "Then I'm yours for the day." He agreed gently, not giving voice to the '_and for far longer_' that bounced around in his head.

Edward's eyes took on a pleased glimmer. "And if you get hungry I can catch you a fish!"

Roy laughed at the offer, and reaching out he ruffled the wet blond hair, causing Edward to growl at him in protest, but he didn't pull away. "I have no doubts that you could. You're a fine hunter."

"I am." Edward agreed without a trace of modesty. There was none needed when it was the truth.

"But in the meantime," Roy began as he sat forward a bit to bring himself closer to Edward, "I do believe it's your turn to ask me a few questions. Fuck knows I've asked plenty of you."

Edward was pleased with that idea, realizing he knew very little in fact about the human he had committed himself to spending time with. "Okay then." And he tilted his head in quizzical consideration of the man. "Where are you really from?"

"I was born in Newfoundland." Roy began as he absently dragged the fingers of the hand farthest from Edward through the sand. "I reckon you've been at or near the area before?"

Edward nodded with a wistful seeming smile. "It's cold there in the winter. Lots of whales though."

"Do you not like whales?"

"Oh I do." Edward quickly assured him, "it's just that they attract a lot of attention we'd like to avoid. Even if people don't suspect a bunch of seals to be anything more than what their eyes tell them, they always fawn over us. We can hear them, you know. Voices carry so easily over water. Always fawning, and if they get close enough they try and toss us what they presume are treats. But really they'd just give us indigestion."

Roy grinned at him, "I'm a bit guilty of that too."

"Yes." Edward agreed firmly, "but at least you know not to try feeding me anything that I wouldn't touch anyway."

"I apologize if I seemed patronizing, but you really…" Roy paused with a faint flush, his fingers stilling in the sand, "knowing it's you, I can't help it. If it makes it seem any better, I'd not have this overwhelming urge to pet you if I didn't know it was you."

Edward blinked at him owlishly before he caught on. "Because you're familiar with me, in a way."

Not quite, but… "yes."

"I don't mind it so much with you." Edward admitted rather quietly, as if trying not to be heard as he gave Roy a nervous look. "Just others." And he didn't even understand why that was, but he knew it was… Roy confused him so much sometimes.

Roy slowly shut the slight parting of his mouth from his momentary shock, and deciding not to make the clearly nervous selkie uncomfortable to the point he'd flee for the water so soon, cleared his throat pointedly. "Well, after Newfoundland my mother moved us to Belize, which was a hell of a trip and culture switch for a seven year old. And then after that, Bangkok, Atlanta, Prague, the river Styx, Copenhagen, and finally some crap-ass town in the middle of Alabama. Which is how I come to you now."

Edward smirked at him, "you're well on your way to discovering your world, what of it you can access."

"I don't want to discover the world." Roy argued, "I came here to get away from the fucked up pandemonium of that city. A nice peaceful summer vacation to help me figure out where I should go next… or go back to. Because I'm not happy where I am."

"Why can't you stay here?" Edward asked him reasonably.

Roy held up his other hand that wasn't drawing aimless circles in the sand, and raised one finger. "One, because my work can't be remote like this. Two," he held up another, "because I really don't want to be here when a hurricane rolls in. You may have noticed where my cottage is, I'm boarding the thing up tighter than a crabs ass before I leave for a reason. Also the reason my home owners insurance is now so high. Three," he held up another finger.

Edward quickly grabbed Roy's hand with a quiet laugh. "I get it. Pointless human concerns. Did you ever wonder what life was like for humans before you became so capitalistic? It was nice, you know. People actually _lived_. Trust me, I was there for the ending of that era for many civilizations."

Roy didn't answer right away, he was stealthily working on adjusting the way Edward's hand held his so he could slip their fingers together. It made _his_ heart beat faster at least, the more progress he made. "But things are capitalistic now, Edward. What else would you have me do?"

"I'm not sure…" Edward admitted with regretful eyes. "But if it starts someplace like this, where you came for peace of mind in the first place, I can't see you easily being led wrong."

"I haven't been so far." Roy mused aloud as he gazed at Edward, "I met you, didn't I?"

Edward smiled at him then, "you did."

Roy smiled back, and leaned back against the tree fully once more. "You know, before I met you, saved you, I never believed in something so impossible as selkies. Yet, when I realized… I still can't quite understand why I didn't try for denial. But I'm glad, you know."

"We've worked hard to be as forgotten as we have been." Edward replied quietly, "and there are only a few hundred of us left last I was able to tally up a rough count from crossing paths with other pods. I'm glad though too… for that, and for you believing what you thought me to be." And he unthinkingly squeezed Roy's hand which was linked with his – although when it had become so he'd not noticed, yet he didn't attempt to abandon the position.

"Even though you slapped me for it?" Roy enquired with a humored raised eyebrow.

Edward's face went sheepish at the reminder. "Sorry… it's just not every day that someone knows with such certainty what I am. Not a lucky guess, but you just _knew_, I could hear it in your voice. See it in the way you looked at me. I overreacted a bit."

"At least I know you've got a good arm on you. It makes me glad you opted for slapping me instead of punching me." Roy chuckled good-naturedly.

"You saved me, punching seemed a little extreme." Edward grinned sheepishly back. "Considering I've never felt threatened by you. Again… thank you, for what you did for me that night."

"Again, what else could I have done?" Roy was still miffed by the idea that he might have done anything else. Well, perhaps rough those people up more than he had, but he couldn't ever see an option where he'd have done anything but protect Edward and get his sealskin out of that woman's possession.

Edward smiled at him, not once doubting the genuineness of Roy's words. "Still… thank you." And quite suddenly he looked down towards their joined hands, though he didn't do anything but stare at them with a deep curiosity, as if trying to solve a complex puzzle. "What is your work?" He finally asked, sounding as if he wasn't quite aware he'd even asked the question.

Roy smiled unseen as he watched Edward's expression as the blond stared at their joined hands, feeling every second that passed both nervous and delighted that Edward hadn't pulled away yet. "I'm a book editor."

"And this cannot be done from here?" Edward asked with a subtle frown, continuing to stare at their hands.

"The company I work for has a little policy about not shipping the books overseas. Something about increased liability and the increased shipping costs." Roy explained with an unimpressed expression. "But it's the best company to work for, hell, I was able to take this vacation and buy that cottage which wasn't exactly cheap. So it makes it hard to consider leaving if I don't have a firm idea of what I'd do if I left."

Edward didn't see what real bother it would be to go to something less if it meant staying in a place like this year-round. Even if it wasn't a place that had ice. But he supposed that it was something about the way the world was now that he didn't fully understand after having been gone from the human world for the near century that he had been. "Do you enjoy being a book editor?"

Roy smiled faintly, "well enough. I'm good at it, and it gives me the money I want. But honestly, I have passion for so many different things that just one could never be my favorite thing to do as far as work. Which really seemed to bother my teachers in school when they wanted you to settle on a list of top three potential careers you'd like, or something to that nature. They just thought I was lazy."

"You are lazy." Edward grinned up at him then. "But I enjoy spending that sort of time with you. As much as I enjoyed us walking around yesterday."

"We'll do more active things too, for as long as you're here." Roy proposed, "but I agree, this is nice."

Edward smiled at him, he was as completely at ease sitting here in the sand with him as Roy seemed to be. "What kind of things do you like to do?"

Roy rested his head back against the tree trunk, gazing across the way to the other side of the cove where the other set of rock and dirt precipices secluded them. "I do a lot of swimming, hiking, horseback riding, things that get me outdoors. I spend so much time inside when I'm working that I need to revisit that freedom as much as I can. Just get back in touch with _me._"

"Those are a few of your passions?" Edward guessed.

"Yes." And Roy continued after a moment. "Some of the few things that are actually available here on this island. It's rather undeveloped still, which is what drew me to it in the first place."

Edward looked back down at their hands in contemplation. "Will you share these passions with me?" And meeting the gaze that jerked quickly back to him he offered a hopeful smile. "Even the swimming?"

Roy inclined his head slowly to the blond, eyes beginning to glitter in humor. "Just remember I'm not built for speed in the water to the extent you are."

"I'll swim circles around you." Edward reassured him happily.

"That would make me a very happy man." Roy chuckled as he rubbed his thumb across the back of Edward's hand in a light touch. "I would be happy to swim with you. It's bound to be more interesting than being in the water by myself."

Edward felt something inside him come alight with electric tingles as Roy continued to slowly brush touches against the back of his hand. And for a time all he could do was stare into Roy's warm gaze before he finally managed to find his voice again. "You're flirting with me." Words that fell short of sounding like an accusation.

"Would you like me to stop?" Roy asked of him fondly.

Edward blushed, but didn't try and duck away. "That's not a fair question."

Roy smiled in partial amusement. "Of course it is, sandy little angel. Don't worry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." He studied Edward closely with a warm gaze, "I think I know the answer."

Edward cleared his throat hurriedly, looking away from Roy for barely a second before looking back at him in determination. "Tell me why you bought that cottage. Out of all the homes you could have. It's so isolated."

Roy smiled at the quick change of subject, but let it slide.

He was sure he wasn't the only one noticing that their hands remained together.

So with a smile he went about answering. "I wanted an isolated place. Some peace and quiet. I don't get much during the day with all those tourists strolling about making a racket, but the rest of the time it's perfect."

"Is your life normally very noisy?" Edward asked with a curious tilt of his head.

"Busy, more than noisy." Roy corrected. "When I'm not escaping to just be me, or working, my friends and family demand a lot of my time. So to just be here, and have the option to escape to somewhere where no one could find me, and I can easily avoid others, it's really more liberating than you can imagine."

Edward smiled at him, believing he could understand Roy's feelings even so. "Tell me about your family. Please?"

"Well my mom is not as old as yours." Roy grinned, even more as Edward laughed. "But my dad isn't alive either. He died when I was very young. I don't have any siblings as a result of that, my mother never remarried."

Edward's lips seemed to draw together in concern. "Do you wish you had siblings?"

"Now don't go looking like that." Roy berated him gently. "I'm quite fine. There are times I think I'd enjoy having a brother or a sister, but honestly, I'm happy with it just being mom and I. We get along quite well. And hell, my best friend is like a nosy brother in his own right."

"He probably thinks you need looking after." Edward smirked.

Roy snorted in disagreement, "I need no such thing. You on the other hand?" It was his turn to smirk as he reached his free hand over from the sand to ruffle Edward's drying hair with a wicked grin as the blond squeaked in protest and tried to duck him. Yet their joined hands never parted, if anything, Edward seemed to grip tighter. "You need much looking after."

"Roy!" Edward protested, beginning to laugh despite his agitation with the human messing with his hair. "Stop that."

"It's fun." Roy protested right back, but did stop, only to slide his hand down to rest his fingertips against Edward's laughter-flushed cheek. "And trust me, Maes watching over anyone wouldn't do any good. So be glad I can look after myself… and you at the same time."

Edward's eyes shined up at the human, "I am. I've never come onto land before and _not_ been suspicious of every move every human made. But not with you."

"Developing trust for me is not a bad thing." Roy smiled at him.

"No." Edward agreed, the singular word seeming to be more of a purred response than anything humanly verbal.

Roy couldn't help but smile a bit wider at the sound of it. To him, he found Edward's lapses into his more common speech choices more endearing than anything. "Are you part cat too, sandy little angel?"

Edward blinked at him owlishly as he shook his head. "I've never admired their tails, very useless for being a rudder."

Roy snorted, but left it at that. "You only have two forms anyway, right?"

Edward nodded, but was too curious by the strange question not to ask. "Why would you think I could ever be a cat?"

Roy slipped his hand back into Edward's hair in a purely petting motion, ridiculously pleased when Edward didn't duck away, the golden eyes instead beginning to take on a happily drugged look. "You sounded a bit like you were purring. Do you purr?"

Edward scoffed, but didn't pull away from Roy's touches. Something that alarmed him greatly, but he was so contented, and it made him feel so good, that his alarm was stifled down such that he couldn't pull away even if he had wanted to. No human's touch had ever done this to him before… and perhaps that was what alarmed him the most. "I would never purr."

"Mmm…" Roy hummed thoughtfully, his ridiculous pleasure at how Edward was reacting still growing steadily. "Would never purr… so that means that you could."

"I've never known any seal or selkie to purr." Edward stated as firmly as he could, given the fact that Roy was minutes away from causing his eyes to close in relaxed pleasure. Where had the man gotten fingers like this? He fought back the urge to sigh contentedly.

"You might be the first." Roy grinned before his face relaxed again as he continued his ministrations of petting through Edward's hair. He couldn't help it, he wasn't being admonished for it, in fact, Edward seemed to be enjoying it immensely, and the blond hair felt wonderful between his fingers.

Edward hummed noncommittally, trying but failing to fix Roy with a stern stare. "Are you trying to seduce me? Asking me those sorts of questions and doing…" he trailed off a moment as Roy's fingers grazed over a particularly nice spot, "this."

Roy lifted an eyebrow comically. "Depends."

"Depends?" Edward repeated as he lost the battle against releasing an approving breath as those fingers found that same spot.

Roy smiled warmly at the blond, his fingers never stilling. "On whether or not it's working."

Edward blinked at him, before smiling faintly through a blush that was beginning to appear. "You could have anyone else, why do you still want me?"

Roy's hand stilled, and he slowly slipped it from Edward's hair to take Edward gently by the chin, searching the confused golden eyes. "I don't want anyone else." He said each word firmly, willing Edward to understand what he was not brave enough to just say. "And even if I can never have you, I still want to be the "us" we have now." And he paused a moment before adding, quieter, "I wouldn't say so much that I'm trying to seduce you, as I am wanting you to be happy."

Edward was silent a moment before, "I am." And reaching his free hand up he took Roy's hand away from his chin to hold it as well. "Am I different from the others? Apart from the obvious?"

Roy smiled in affection at the blond, slipping his hand free to stroke it through Edward's hair again. "You always were, even before I knew. But you're safe with me, remember. I care too deeply about you to let anything break my promise."

Edward's eyes showed his shock plainly, but his mouth remained clamped shut as his mind raced with what that could mean. At least, until Roy's fingers began to lull him into a more relaxed state. Something his irritation with couldn't really grab a foothold against how nice it still felt. "I know."

Roy smiled at the near-whispered words. "Sandy little angel." He chuckled to himself before deciding it was high time to draw the conversation back onto ground he knew for certain wouldn't have the chance of making the selkie bolt for the water in embarrassment. "Do you have any siblings? From either your father's side that you know of, or perhaps from before your mother and father met?"

Edward hummed contentedly, unable to help it now. He knew what Roy was doing, and in a way was grateful for it… but it didn't stop him from thinking in the back of his mind about the extent Roy had implied he cared about him. "My mother told me that my father had had a son by a wife who died in the childbirth. She never learned his name, my father had apparently been close-lipped about it. Not that it matters anymore, they're both long dead. My mother never had any children after me."

"Ever get curious?" Roy asked then.

"Not really." Edward shrugged, in the process finding himself leaning a bit into Roy's petting through his hair. "I know what became of it all. I just never met them. They both died, and I've honestly never felt like that half sibling _was_ any family of mine. The most I know is that he was assassinated or something, heard about it one of the times I went onto shore in the same country about six years later. Big news at the time, the country was all in turmoil trying to figure out who was going to take over next. Not that they'd liked him anyway… hence the assassination, as well my father's aversion towards mentioning him to my mother is my guess."

Roy mulled that over for a few seconds, putting that in some sort of coherent order that _he'd_ understand, before he suddenly frowned at Edward. "Take over next?"

"After my father died, yes." Edward agreed absently, wondering why Roy's fingers had slowed against his head.

"Your father was in charge of a country?" Roy asked for further clarification, although he knew it didn't really mean much at all if the answer was in the affirmative. Back hundreds of years ago when Edward had been born countries were divided and ruled a lot more generously and flippantly than nowadays. Some of the "countries" names probably hadn't even been recorded in the history books.

Edward ducked his head away now from Roy's completely stilled hand, "had my father lived long enough to marry my mother I'd have been a prince until it was time for my mother and I to disappear. After all, we have unnaturally long lives in the eyes of humans."

Roy blinked, giving a short laugh. "You're more fascinating the more I learn about you." And he leaned back against the tree trunk as his hand resumed to drawing circles in the dirt now. "Any chance you'd tell me what the country was called?"

"Nope." Edward informed him with sudden cheerfulness. "Because honestly I don't care about all that. I grew up more a selkie than a human."

"I prefer you this way." Roy admitted with a smile. "You wouldn't be my sandy little angel any other way."

Edward laughed, shaking his head at the man with shining eyes. "But I don't have wings, I can't be an angel."

Roy's head tilted slightly in consideration of the blond as he squeezed the hand he still held. "Have you ever met an angel?"

"No." Edward laughed. He was a selkie! He lived most of his time below the water. He'd met sirens and krakens and mermaids and sea dragons and all sorts of other creatures humans believed to be myth, for which all were glad of… but he'd never met an angel.

"Then how do you know angels have wings?" Roy asked kindly. "Seems to me they could appear however they wanted, much like yourself."

Edward smiled at him in warm amusement. "I'm not sure I can argue that, even though I'm over two hundred years older than you."

A laugh escaped Roy, "I'll try not to brag too much, sandy little angel."

Edward shook his head, still amusedly smiling.

"Let's go for a walk," Roy suddenly decided, pointing with his free hand towards the steep animal trail that cut down to the cove. "Up that way, and we can keep talking. Or we can go for a swim if you like."

"Why?" Edward asked curiously.

Roy smiled faintly as he got to his feet, pulling Edward up with him easily. "Because it's getting hot just sitting here in the sand. And honestly, I'm too tempted to start touching you like that again, and as nice as it is, too much at one time I'm afraid does play havoc on the part of me that wants to jump you."

Edward blushed, it had been nice… for both of them apparently. And he nodded. It err… _was_ getting hot after all, and he nodded his agreement to himself on that through his blush. "Okay, let's go for a walk then. I still have some questions for you."

Roy was a little relieved as he led Edward through the spit of sand up to the trail, their hands still as joined as they'd been earlier. And he carefully picked a path up the trail, helping Edward along chivalrously as the blond scrambled after him. "Not used to doing things like this?" He teased good-naturedly as he helped Edward navigate a particularly unstable spot.

"Not lately, no." Edward scowled at him, but it lacked any real annoyance. He only held tighter to Roy's hand, no longer trying to think about why he couldn't seem to make himself let go. He was only comforted in that Roy didn't seem to want to let go either. He knew why… but it only would alarm him, and he didn't want his perfectly lovely day thus far ruined by his nurtured fears. So he stifled them down to think about later. "It's only been in the past week or so that I've really used my human legs, and never for anything requiring this much practice at balance."

Roy laughed, and carefully finished guiding Edward up until they reached stable, level ground shaded by thick masses of trees broken up by patches of grass and wildflowers. "So I can't blame it on you just being really old?"

Edward barely waited to enjoy the feel of solid ground and the lush grass under his bare feet before he swatted Roy with his free hand, smirking as the man yelped in protest with a funny looking ducking maneuver. "I'm about the equivalent of twenty-three as a human."

"And to think when I first saw you," Roy grinned wickedly, "I thought you couldn't have been older than twenty. So see? You _are_ old!"

Edward swatted him again.

"Right. Right. Sorry." Roy laughed and tugged lightly on Edward's hand. "Come on, let's walk."

"Just don't get us lost." Edward warned as he followed along and fell in step.

Roy smiled over at him, "don't worry, I've always had a good sense of direction. I do a lot of hiking around and camping back home. And on the slim chance I do get us lost, all we have to do is find the ocean again and you're at least saved." His smile turned wry as his head tilted in consideration up towards the tree canopies, "not so sure about myself though. It'd be embarrassing at the very least, since I am trying to take good care of you and all."

Edward bumped him lightly with his elbow, not once breaking the matching pace he had with Roy. "I'd save you in that case. Dolphins aren't the only creatures in the ocean who take pity on you humans."

"It sounds much less embarrassing when you put it like that." Roy rolled his eyes through Edward's bark of laughter. "Let's try and avoid the getting lost scenario."

"Agreed." Edward grinned, and looked up at him with his next question. "Do you have any pets back at this other home you have on the mainland?"

Roy couldn't help but find such a question endearing coming from a selkie. Anyone else he would have thought it a bad interview question for a speed dating session. "No. I used to have a dog until I was nineteen, but he died of old age. I never really got another pet after that. I feed the neighborhood cats when they come around… and clean up after them when they poop on my lawn. But no, no pets. I couldn't even keep a goldfish alive when I tried that."

"Good thing then that I'm not relying on you to feed me as well." Edward grinned.

"You're just a bit more high maintenance than a goldfish, I think I'm managing fine." Roy argued in good humor, "besides, I don't think of you as anything like a pet anyway. Even though it is rather addicting to pet you."

"Shut up." Edward growled through a returning blush. It hadn't escaped his notice that he was becoming addicted to Roy's petting.

Roy hadn't even needed to see the blush coloring Edward's face to know he was beginning to embarrass the blond. "You just tell me if anyone else tries to pet you, and I'll make sure they learn to leave you the hell alone. Wherever you and your pod have been hiding you've been left alone, right?"

Edward didn't even have a chance to give much time to dwelling on Roy's protective nature towards him and the strange warmth it gave him before he was smiling for a different reason. "Had you gone about ten minutes more you would have found us." He no longer could think it strange that he so readily shared such matters with this human. Around Roy, he couldn't help but be uncensored. "But yes, we've been left alone. We chose a spot where the current is choppy coming in, but mellows out where we've set up for sunning ourselves. Choppy currents keep humans away..." and he looked at Roy with a growing smile, "yet I doubt that would have stopped you."

"You know me so well already." Roy smirked at him. "I'd have probably scared all the others off, but annoyed you into capsizing me."

Edward snorted, "I doubt I'd have gone to that extreme. And not all of them would have fled for the water, it looks suspicious. They'd have acted like seals… except for my mother." He groaned shallowly as he tangled a hand in the front of his hair. "She'd have guessed who you were and I'd never hear the end of it. Not that I will anyway."

"What exactly _is_ your mother's opinion on me anyway?" Roy knew that she'd been instrumental in getting Edward to come back, and he found himself curious.

Edward let out another bark of a laugh, lowering his hand with a shake of his head. "I think she likes you, even though she's not met you. Along the lines of she thinks you'd be good for me."

"I am good for you." Roy declared with confidence. "It'd have been a shame if you'd gone through the rest of your life never having met a proper human."

Edward wasn't sure that was entirely the reason his mother was thinking of, and he blushed for the mere reason that he didn't exactly despise Roy's attentions to him. "You ended up being not quite what I expected."

"Shallow yet devilishly handsome?" Roy queried with a smirk.

"I never said it like that." Edward reproached with a cheerful gleam in his eyes. "I just never expected that you could ever actually become someone who I'd willingly spend time with."

Roy frowned then, but he took a moment to think about it before he asked in confusion, "is it no longer something you feel you have to do, so you won't literally go insane? I thought that's what it was, it was yesterday."

Edward's lower lip pulled between his teeth as he stared at the ground they walked across with absent eyes, his attention more focused on how to explain it to Roy. "Things change?" He ventured hesitantly, still not daring to look at the man. "I had a nice time yesterday, with you."

"I think you'll find that sentiment mutual." Roy squeezed Edward's hand lightly. "I'm glad you don't feel trapped into being around me anymore."

"If anyone should be feeling trapped, it should be you. You never asked for this. Neither did I, but it's more me than you." Edward admitted, sounding somewhat sad.

Roy was frowning again, and on sudden decision he pulled Edward to a stop, meeting confused golden eyes as they looked quickly up at him. "I never _would_ have asked to spend time with you after that night we thought we could make it saying goodbye and be happy without seeing each other. But that doesn't mean that I don't want this. I would never have asked out of respect for what you had wanted… but can't you understand yet that I _want _to be with you? This isn't something I'd ever consider a trap."

Edward didn't dare ask why, he knew. With almost near certainty. And it wasn't an answer from Roy that he was sure he was ready to face. He knew why Roy wanted to be with him… but… "it's impossible."

"The hell it is." Roy argued immediately.

"No, it is." Edward looked up at him imploringly now. "Roy, I… I can't be my mother! If I –"

"You think I'll die and leave you alone?" Roy asked incredulously. "Or you just can't bear the thought of a human."

Edward's eyes flashed with a trace of anger. "It could never be like that! And you will die one day, and I _will_ be left alone. For hundreds of years I will be alone." He shook his head, softly adding, "I'm not that strong."

Roy couldn't have explained the emotions within him in that moment if he'd had to, and on impulse he yanked Edward to him in a hug so he could wrap his arms around the blond tightly. Lowering his head with a look of pained wistfulness, he hugged Edward to him. "You're a lot stronger than you think. But it's okay. I… understand."

Edward hugged him back on impulse, feeling himself relax against Roy despite everything. A shaking breath quietly slipped past his lips as his eyes closed. "It's not okay..."

Roy's eyes closed briefly in wordless agreement that he'd never give voice to. "The choice has always been yours," he murmured quietly into the blond hair, "so no regrets, Edward."

"Not with you." Edward whispered back. "Do you…"

Roy guessed at what Edward couldn't seem to say, and brushed his hand repeatedly through the blond locks of hair to try and put the selkie back at ease. "Regret you?" He exhaled slowly, never once loosening his embrace or quieting his hand. "No. I'll always feel this way about you, no matter what happens."

"Don't say that." Edward whispered as he began to draw away, his eyes finding Roy's. "Your life is too short to spend chasing selkies."

Roy remained silent a moment, trying to piece his feelings into something manageable before he slipped his hand from Edward's hair to lay it against the blond's face. "Can you think of any better way to spend it?" And he drew away fully. "Come on."

Edward stared after the man a moment, his heart still beating a bit too fast, and then quickly he hurried after Roy. Golden eyes that were a bit larger than normal stared up at Roy as he fell in step with the human, and then with a sudden flush he looked away to the ground. It was absurd, this. That a human would awaken such feelings inside him. Feelings that, honestly, scared him. It was enough to keep him silent, but not enough to scare him away. He was hoping that it would just go away on its own as he allowed nothing to come of it…

…he wasn't strong enough to fall for a human. It was a path that would lead to nothing but pain.

"Have you ever been with someone for more than a night?" Edward found himself asking, something inside him needing to know the answer as he stared straight ahead at the trees.

Roy glanced over at the blond walking beside him, and then looked away with a small smile. "Yes. But never when I've been on a vacation like I am now. It kept things simple. But," he paused with a subdued sigh, "this is far from simple for me."

"I guess that selkies weren't in the travel brochure." Edward ventured with a lopsided smile.

Roy actually laughed a bit at the idea. "I'm still not sure I would have believed. Besides, getting to know you this way has been a hell of a lot more of an experience than any travel brochure could have hinted at."

"In some ways it'd be nice for me to have a brochure… know what the hell is happening to me." Edward sighed as he shoved his hands into the pockets of the borrowed pants he wore. "I'm just grateful that whatever this is, it's with you. I wouldn't feel safe with anyone else."

"We'll figure it out together, I promise." Roy reached up to swat away a low hanging tree frond so that he could pass under unscathed. "I don't want you to always have the risk of going insane on my account."

"But until then," Edward agreed, "I'll stay close to you. As often as I can." And he slowed to a stop as his eyes lifted towards the back of Roy's head as the human continued forward, yet unaware of his absence by his side. "Just…"

Roy turned abruptly to look back around for Edward, and seeing the hesitant look on the blond's face, tilted his head slightly. "What?"

"When you have prior engagements, let me know. I'll spend the extra time sunning." Edward finished softly.

"My prior engagement is you, Edward." Roy replied firmly, but gently. "I came here with no plans in mind, only to have myself a nice vacation. And I do not see how I will miss out on that by spending it with you. If anything, it's already been better than I'd hoped to find."

"Roy," Edward frowned at him, "it's unhealthy for you to fill all your time with me. You should take some days and spend some of it for _you_ and what you need. I won't be around forever, and… I don't want it to be difficult for you when we go our separate ways, because I don't want to be called back by tears… from you, the act would be as good as enslaving me in terms of my feelings on it."

"If it truly bothered you that much, you wouldn't still be here now." Roy answered calmly. "Because you know that I would never do you such a dishonor. Don't worry about it, Edward. I'll be fine, I will. I am capable of making my own choices for my own good, making choices for what I need. You're not filling all my time like you might think."

Edward looked up at him searchingly, not saying anything at first as he only gazed at Roy, barely aware that he'd reached his hand back out towards Roy's until the man's fingers closed firmly around his own and startling his eyes a bit wider.

Roy felt a smile twitch at Edward's reaction, his own reaction still alight that Edward had reached for him again, even if it seemed it was unconsciously done. "Just take it a day at a time, Edward. Vacations are best enjoyed that way I've found."

Edward nodded slowly, a smile hesitantly beginning to form. "Then I'll stay close to you when I can."

"You won't find me unhappy with that." Roy replied, and gently tugged on Edward's hand to guide them forward again. "So let's enjoy today, together."

Edward's golden eyes lit with a happier light as he followed after Roy, falling in step with him, looking up at the human who he was bound to in a way he didn't understand. Roy was like none he'd ever known before, and as he watched the light and shadow play across Roy's face as they walked along underneath the trees, he found himself wondering if his mother had ever felt how he felt now.

So conflicted, afraid… yet unable to keep from falling further in with every touch, word… smile.

They walked in comfortable silence for almost a mile, just wandering their way through the national park forest, every now and then their eyes meeting as they stole looks. Their hands never parting.

At least not until Edward spotted a wild blackberry bush.

Roy could only chuckle as Edward raced on ahead with a grin to come to a jerking stop in front of the bush. "I guess you like blackberries?"

Edward was already plucking one ripe berry from its stalk, a wide grin on his lips. "I've not tasted blackberries in over a hundred years. I've missed them." And popping the berry into his mouth his eyes closed in pleasure as the musky sweetness flooded his mouth.

Roy sauntered over at a much steadier pace, reaching the blond around the time he was popping the fourth blackberry into his mouth. Smiling, he reached out and plucked one off for himself, studying it absently. "Anything else you've missed eating?"

Edward's head angled to one side as he considered, all the while continuing to eat blackberries like the starved addict he was showing himself to be. "Pineapple." And a faraway smile flitted across his juice-sweetened lips as he remembered… "this one place would slice the pineapple into these long chunks, they felt like never-ending treats when you were eating one."

Roy popped a blackberry into his mouth, chewing as he committed the sentiment to memory. "Long chunks, huh." He was beginning to wonder where he could find pineapple on the island.

They stayed and ate on the blackberries until Edward was satisfied, and they started off back to the beach on a joint decision that a swim would be nice right about now. Even so, their walk back was unhurried, and filled with random stops so that Edward could still continue examining everything he found interesting.

So by the time they made it back down to that sandy cove and Roy was able to see the sun again, he estimated it was about two in the afternoon. They'd been wandering through the woods for quite some time.

"Guess you didn't get us lost after all." Edward grinned as he seemed to bound from one foot to the other through the sand.

Roy gave a roll of his eyes. "I told you." But Edward wasn't listening to him, and he shook his head with a smile as he stuffed his hands in his pant pockets and followed Edward back down near to where the dinghy was still moored.

"So we're going swimming now? Right?" Edward asked as he hovered near the edge of the water, staring at the sparkling surface with a raptness only a resident of the ocean could ever hold. "Or do you need me to hunt you food?"

"I'm fine." Roy remarked, and he was. Exercise and the berries had done plenty to curb any appetite he may have had the chance of developing. "So yes, let's go for a swim."

Edward looked back only to stare pointedly at Roy until the man got the hint and turned around, before stripping out of his borrowed pants and setting them into the dinghy before stepping deep into the water.

Roy only turned around when he heard a series of sharp clicks that were purely of seal creation. Sure enough, the slate grey seal with Edward's fiery golden eyes was floating in the middle of the cove waters.

"I really need to sort out a clothes situation for you." He said idly as he stripped down until he remained only in his swim trunks. Walking towards the water he caught the look Edward was giving him, and even when behind a seal's countenance, he could tell the meaning. "So that you can swim in your human form if you wish, but not be naked." And then, with a bit of an evil grin, "though I've no doubt that you would get revenge on any fish daring enough to nibble at anything."

Edward squawked in some degree of alarm before diving under the water.

Roy chuckled, entering the water with a shake of his head. His feet were barely able to touch the bottom sand when suddenly Edward surfaced beside his left arm with a wet blow of air. "You think?" He grinned at the selkie beside him.

A series of muttered growls emitted from him before Edward swept his right flipper up through the water to splash Roy thoroughly.

Roy spluttered as he swept sopping hair and water from his eyes, laughter beginning to bubble in his chest. "I guess we'll see how you use the clothes I'll provide to you then." And deciding that the smug looking seal was also looking a bit dry, swept his own hand through the water to splash Edward back.

Edward wasn't entirely fast enough to duck under the water in time to avoid all of the splashing, not that it should have mattered if Roy got him wet or not… but it was the principle of splashing! And he quickly got revenge in the form of swimming around behind Roy to quickly knock the man's legs out from under him.

Roy barely had time to get in a decent yell before he tumbled back into the water with a colossal spray of water in all directions.

When he surfaced, Edward was floating on his back barking in laughter.

He promptly lunged the meager feet separating them to dunk a surprisingly buoyant Edward before the selkie could do little more than pop golden eyes open with a shriek of alarm.

And so began their first ever water-warfare with a member of an opposite species.

Neither was sure who had won when at last both of them were too tired to continue, and Roy found himself near the edge between cove and open ocean with his right arm around a seal's shoulders where Edward had placed himself to haul Roy up out of the water after a particularly deep dunking.

"So I was thinking," Roy finally broached after some minutes spent in silence between them as they floated there, just relaxing in each other's presence and the water. "Would you like to go to that bar with me later on tonight? Sushi… frozen daiquiris? Or are you off by yourself tonight?"

Edward turned his head to blink at the human he was keeping afloat, whiskers twitching in thought.

"Just nod if you'd like to come with me." Roy furthered when he realized that Edward might be having a hard time figuring out how to answer his questions without changing forms. He surmised that it might embarrass the selkie to shapeshift with them in a close position like this.

Edward trilled lowly a moment before tilting his head, lowering it once in what could have been termed a nod. For frozen daiquiris? He was all over that as an idea. He was just a bit uncertain about that bar… his last experience in there hadn't been exactly enjoyable.

And suddenly Roy was having to float on his own as Edward ducked away, diving under the water only to resurface nearer the shore in human form.

"What if those people are there again?" Edward asked, trying not to let his voice show just how concerned he was about such a thing.

Roy eased himself closer, so that he might be able to stand on the sandy bottom. "Well, if they are, they better have paid attention when I told them to never bother or go near you again. Besides," he caught Edward's gaze purposefully, "I _will_ protect you."

Edward took a moment, before giving another nod. "Can we stop by your place first though? So I can make sure I'm dressed in a way that'll for certain cover my sealskin?"

Roy smiled tenderly as he nodded. "Of course. We'll stop by there, and you can do whatever you need to before we head out again." Whatever Edward needed to feel more comfortable, he was more than willing to provide. Glad that Edward trusted and wanted _him_ to be the one to provide it. Besides… he'd do this and far more for someone he cared so deeply about.

Edward flashed a grateful smile before suddenly grinning. "But not just yet…"

Roy only had a second to begin to feel worried at the wicked gleam that had entered those golden eyes before Edward was suddenly gone, and he was no longer quite as dry as he once was.

They played in the water vigorously until even Edward began to get physically tired. And as they were drying off – Edward again in his borrowed pants –, both sitting in the dinghy so that their legs were hooked over the side of the boat with their backs up against the other side, Roy looked over at his companion with a mischievous smile.

"Seals really _are_ playful creatures."

Edward chuckled, flushing a faint shade of pink as he stared fixedly ahead at his knees. "Perhaps a bit more than humans."

"I wonder," Roy mused, his smile turning even more mischievous as he contemplated the blond selkie, "do you like round things as well? At zoos and such they let the seals play with big beach balls, have them do tricks with them."

Edward looked over then suspiciously, and upon catching the look Roy was giving him, flushed even more. "I am an entire specie different from a normal seal."

Roy couldn't help but notice that Edward hadn't _quite_ answered the question, and it only served to make him grin wickedly. "So that means you do like round things then."

Deciding the blush was now permanent, Edward tried not to despair too much over his inability to get rid of it. "Yes… there are many objects that will…" he swallowed against the embarrassment he was drowning in, yet he couldn't help but be honest with Roy, "catch my attention to the point of obsession until I tire."

"I'll keep that in mind." Roy grinned.

Edward groaned pathetically, "don't. Weren't you saying something about sushi and frozen daiquiris?"

Roy reached up to place his hand on Edward's head comfortingly. "Now like I'd ever bring a beach ball with me one day to see what happens." And at the glower he received, grinned back as he pulled his hand away. "Okay, sushi and drinks it is. Are you going to hang in the boat or swim back?"

Edward didn't exactly trust that Roy wouldn't bring a beach ball with him one day… and oddly enough he found himself uncertain just how he'd feel about it. But he quickly shoved it all away for now in light of more pressing concerns. "I'll stay in the boat… save myself some extra work once I get into the Bay."

Roy nodded as he began to carefully straighten. "Okay then. I'll go get the mooring line and we'll be off."

Edward watched, hanging on when the boat rocked sharply as Roy got out of the dinghy and worked on coiling the rope back up so they could set off. And when Roy was ready to shove the dinghy off, he sat properly inside of it while grabbing the oars up out of the way of the water.

Roy gave the dinghy a hard shove to get it off of the sandy bottom before hopping up into it gracefully. Maneuvering about so that he could sit on the bench he took the oars from Edward. "Thanks." And looking about he began to head them towards the exit of the cove and back towards open sea.

Edward had shifted to the front half of the dinghy so that he could lean over the edge and watch the water, a smile playing across his lips. "This is the first time I've willingly been on a boat ride."

Roy's lips thinned at the only thing that immediately came to mind as far as what would have constituted unwilling boat rides for his selkie companion. And he promised himself that he'd do all he could to give Edward some good memories of things once thought badly on. "It's the first time I've been in this thing and you've not tried to capsize me."

Edward looked back at him with a grin. "Not yet."

Roy could only chuckle under his breath with a roll of his eyes as Edward went back to his sightseeing, and he went back to fully applying himself with rowing. After all, the tides were starting to shift around this time of day, not enough to make it dangerous just now, but enough to keep his full attention.

By the time they reached Seolh Bay, Roy guessed it was nearly four in the afternoon. Which meant they might make happy hour at the bar, something he wouldn't be too sad about. It only meant more daiquiris for Edward if the blond wished for them. So he rowed up the Bay, ordering swimmers and surfers out of his way as he did so.

When Roy jumped out of the dinghy in order to haul it up onto the beach, Edward followed after him instantly to help. Between the two of them they hauled the thing up onto the sand and up it towards Roy's cottage.

"Just over there, up against the wall." Roy directed once they got around the side of the cottage, about where the side door to it was located. And together they muscled it to rest up against the wall, Edward grabbing his borrowed shirt from where it had fallen in the sand.

"I'll get you a change of fresh clothes, ones that aren't all rough with dried saltwater." Roy told him as he fished a ring of keys out of his pocket and inserted one into the side door of his cottage to open it, waving Edward inside first.

Edward climbed the short flight of steps to pass through the door, already wandering around to the kitchen as Roy followed in after him and shut and locked the door.

"Do you need water?" Roy asked as he turned his steps more for his bedroom. Edward wasn't the only one who wanted a change of clothes, and he for one could go for a shower.

Edward shook his head as he spotted what he was looking for, taking up the seashell seal that Roy had bought for him with a happy smile. "I'm fine."

Roy looked over his shoulder to see what Edward was doing, and upon seeing, couldn't help but smile. "I'm planning to go to the hardware store again soon so I can build a nice shelf to put that on. Somewhere to keep it safe for you."

Edward didn't look up from where he was running a careful finger along the contours of the seal with fascination. "I do love shells. Especially when there are clams inside."

Roy laughed, "I don't think there are any clams in there, sandy little angel. But if you want clams one day, we'll get you clams."

Edward grinned.

"Now I'm going to go have a shower and get changed. Will you be okay?"

Edward looked over at him then and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Do you want me to lay a change of clothes out for you before I do? Or are you wanting a shower as well?" And it took all of Roy's willpower not to suggest that if that was the case, they shower together to… conserve hot water.

"I think I'll have a shower too." Edward decided with a slight smile, "yours is the first shower I've ever encountered. They're fun."

Roy quickly turned so that Edward might not notice the sudden evidence of his thoughts on just how fun he could make it for the blond, and came to the realization that he rather needed a cold shower. So much for hot water conservation. "I'll come and get you when I'm done."

"Mmm." Edward hummed, already fascinated again by the gift Roy had bought for him yesterday.

Roy smiled faintly as he continued into his bedroom, shutting the door before heading off to the shower and reluctantly finding the cold tap. He didn't dare scare Edward off by chancing the blond overhearing him doing the other option to take care of the problem his overactive imagination had caused.

One frigidly cold shower later, Roy had pulled on a pair of jeans and an airy button-down shirt. He then went through his closet to find some of his longer, dark colored slacks for Edward to wear, hoping it would prove sufficient to cover the selkie's sealskin even when he was sitting, and a plain t-shirt. He didn't want to have to make the blond mess with buttons should he get the shirt wet.

Not if he wanted his shirt back in one piece.

Once he had laid out anything Edward might find himself needing, he grabbed his flip-flops and headed out into the other room where he found Edward sprawled stomach-down on the floor as he flipped through one of the few books that Roy had brought with him when he'd moved for the summer.

On first glance it looked to be his copy of a first edition _Sherlock Holmes_, leather-bound and frayed along the edges with yellowing pages, and Edward looked completely entranced.

Roy mentally stumbled for a moment on what best to say; _"you can read?"_ didn't seem like the best approach after all. Even though it didn't at first seem like a skill a selkie might bother with. So he settled for, "do you like to read?"

Edward barely concealed his jump of surprise, not having heard Roy make an appearance. He'd been so deep into the puzzling murder of one Enoch J. Drebber, that he'd noticed nothing else. "I find books reasonable escapes from my own reality. And they're like a documentary on humans."

Roy let out an exasperatedly amused breath as he smiled at the blond. "Humans from about one hundred years after you were born, maybe. But things have changed. Not that I want you to look at me like a documentary subject."

Edward chuckled as he sat up, staring up at Roy thoughtfully. "You're too rare to make a good subject for the whole." And then he lifted the book in one hand. "Do you mind if I mark my page?"

Roy rolled his eyes but smiled. "Bibliomaniacs everywhere will hate me for this, but go ahead." It didn't matter as much to him as some that the book Edward was currently dog-earing was worth a small fortune.

"I'll be done soon." Edward promised as he walked past Roy, re-shelving the book as he went.

Roy turned to watch the door snap shut behind Edward, and he couldn't help but shake his head as he continued to smile. "Fuck I'm hopeless." He muttered to himself, sounding almost amused at it.

And so he plopped himself on his couch to wait for Edward to be ready, and to think even more on the strange turn his life had taken ever since he'd walked into that bar and laid eyes on a sandy, blond angel.

Roy only snapped back to paying attention when he heard the door click open, and turning his head he smiled as Edward walked over to join him. And he was pleased to see that even with the belt, the slacks were still quite long. "Ready then?"

"Yeah." Edward replied cheerfully as he brushed his combed, wet hair back out of his face. "I do love frozen daiquiris."

"I know you do." Roy grinned, and grabbing his flip-flops they were off.

As Edward walked along beside Roy, he had to admit he was still a bit nervous about going back. But as nervous as he was, he was less surprised than he might have expected that his trust that Roy would keep him safe was more powerful than any nerves.

…and if the man noticed he was walking a bit closer than normal, as he'd done in the market, then Roy didn't say anything.

When they reached the bar at last, Roy looked over at Edward searchingly as he reached out to get the door. "I won't leave your side."

Edward stared motionlessly back at him a moment, before slowly his expression began to relax as he reached forward in want to take Roy's other hand, rewarded when their hands met somewhere in the middle. "I know you won't. You didn't the last time."

And it was true… there had rarely been a moment when Roy's hand had not been protectively there.

"And besides," Edward's eyes hardened, "I can take care of myself too… those people wouldn't have gotten so close if I hadn't erred in my own decisions. It won't happen again."

"Definitely not." Roy agreed firmly, before leading them inside.

The inside of the bar was not as crowded as it would be in only an hour's time, but it was still respectably busy with over half of the tables full, as well as most of the bar stools occupied. And the lack of the individuals who'd harassed Edward before was quite a welcome sight indeed.

"Look, my table is still reserved for me." Edward noticed with a cheerful grin, his nerves decreasing sharply.

Roy couldn't help but think that the blond was smart to like that table so much, it was perfect for quick getaways. "Come on then." But he needn't have bothered trying to take the lead as he was yanked by Edward further into the bar.

Upon reaching the table, Edward promptly hopped up onto the stool nearest the door, and Roy slid onto the other.

And their appearance had not gone unnoticed.

"It's a relief to see you back. We're sorry about what happened with those people." The waitress spilled immediately as she reached them, looking truly contrite before shifting her attention to Roy. "Thank you for helping him. We've banned that group of people from coming back inside the bar."

Edward's head had tilted in what Roy considered an adorable way, blinking those large golden eyes at the woman. "Roy would have been angry at them if they'd been here anyway."

Roy couldn't help but crack a small grin at the show of faith before turning a calculating look on the woman, and then directing his gaze back towards where the bartender was openly watching them with a mixture of relief and worry on his face. Now that he thought about it…

"I wonder why you lot didn't help him instead…" Roy mused, turning his attention back to her as the full events of that night came back to him. "You could have."

She frowned slightly at him, "I was going to, on my way to when you came in. They'd just started bothering him. But I suspected he might trust you more."

Edward looked back and forth at them, not quite understanding.

"You were all starting to really panic." Roy stated, one hand rubbing at his chin as he shook his head. "I think you'd better be upfront with him, now that I think about it, between that night, and some of the things the bartender said to me… you'd better come clean with him."

"Roy?" Edward frowned at him.

"What he means to say," the waitress finally broke down after a moment, looking extremely nervous, "is that he knows that the bartender and I… well, we know what those people were calling you that night wasn't incorrect."

Apprehension flooded Edward's expression as he looked quickly at Roy. His instinct was to flee as he always would… yet with Roy right there, he hesitated.

"Don't worry." Roy soothed him, reaching across to take Edward's hand again and give it a comforting squeeze. "They've not tried to harm you, have they? Would I let them?"

"No…" Edward's eyes slipped tightly shut as he let out a harsh breath. "Damn perceptive humans, I knew I had to keep an eye on you and that bartender."

The waitress actually chuckled warmly. "Hun, as the bartender told me the first night you were here, you deserve to vacation in peace too. And we keep our customers secrets. Even from them if we feel it might make them more comfortable."

Edward's eyes opened then, a mirthless sounding laugh slipping past his lips. "Well, thank you for indulging me."

Roy rolled his eyes and smiled at the waitress. "I got slapped, twice, the moment he realized I knew. Count yourself lucky." He barely waited for her shock to register before adding, "and we'll have a plate of sushi and two frozen daiquiris."

The waitress nodded quickly, and leaving them to it, hurried back behind the bar. And at the questioning look the bartender gave her, she shook her head. "He's still whole. I think we were right… he was so moody before because that man, Roy, wasn't with him. But he knows we know now."

"Best not bother ever actually taking their order again then." The bartender grinned, getting to work on the blender.

From across the table, Edward was smiling through a glower at Roy, their hands still clasped together. "Maybe not all humans are bad… but you're still the only one I have any trust for."

Roy squeezed Edward's hand as he smiled back. "The trust is worth the slaps."

Their drinks and the sushi arrived shortly thereafter, and the two were left alone once again. And both were silently glad that neither the waitress nor the bartender seemed to want to pester them too much about Edward's true identity. Roy, because he selfishly didn't want his time with Edward interrupted. Edward, because he had realized in the short time they had been in the bar, that the only one he'd ever want to share like that with, was Roy.

"So tell me, are there any other… individuals like yourself, but of a different kind, that your kind doesn't get along with?" Roy asked as vaguely yet specifically as he could.

"You mean like…" Edward tilted his head in thought, "sirens?"

Roy blinked, they were real? But then, why should that be news to him? He snorted at his own foolishness and nodded. "Like them."

"Sure." Edward shrugged, and smirked a bit. "Sirens are okay. A bit full of themselves, dramatic beings really, those I've met. But there are some…" he looked about quickly before lowering his voice, "like kelpies, that are real bastards. It's just in their nature to be that way towards us. They'd sooner try and kill me than look at me. So needless to say I try not to bother needing to speak to one."

"That's a lot of forgetting that human kind has done to fade such things out as nothing more than myth." Roy remarked quietly, so as not to be overheard.

Edward chuckled softly, "I guess it helped that unlike some of us, humans don't live very long in comparison."

"Well I know better now." Roy replied as he took an absent helping of his frozen daiquiri.

Edward found he wasn't sad about that fact as he worked on demolishing his sushi and frozen daiquiri with little trills of enjoyment that he dampened down as best he could… but if the way Roy would snicker good-naturedly every so often was any indication, he didn't always succeed in not being heard.

They stayed and continued to eat and drink until things began to get a bit too crowded, and they decided it was time to leave. So Roy paid their bill and followed Edward out the employee exit before beginning to make his way down to the beach, the blond close beside him.

"While we were in there I got to thinking," Edward ventured as they made their way down and around dunes to grow ever nearer to the ocean, "do you know if there is anything fun to do in that market area at night? Not just shopping, but fun cultural things?"

A grin split Roy's face before he could help it. "You can just ask me to go out with you on a date." He teased.

Edward blushed a spectacular shade of red, the thought alone of asking Roy as a date was enough to make him become awash with the heat and electric tension only Roy could make him feel. It was with an effort that he looked boldly up at Roy, despite his remaining blush, "well? Do you?"

Slowly, Roy pulled them to a stop so that Edward faced him, and reached his free hand up to caress Edward's cheek, smiling fondly as the blush only intensified under the moonlight. "Fun things… I'm pretty sure there would be something. Considering the amount of tourists on this island. And even if there isn't, we can make our own fun."

"Tomorrow night?" Edward asked softly, a shiver passing through him under the way Roy was looking at him, making his heartbeat falter. There was still desire in Roy's eyes, that had never faded, but the something else he had kept trying not to see was there too, plainly and openly.

Roy's head tilted to one side as Edward suddenly took a shaky breath and looked away, his eyes screwing shut in what looked almost like frustration. "Edward?"

"I'm fine." Edward whispered, still not looking back at Roy. "I just… it's been a long day. I'm fine."

"Are you trying to convince me of that? Or yourself?" Roy asked back gently, and when unreadable, but narrowed golden eyes were turned on him again at last, he squeezed Edward's hand before pulling away from him entirely. "Just think about it… but come on, it's late, and you're right, we did have a long day. I for one need some rest. I'm sure you do as well."

Edward flexed the hand Roy had let go of, trying not to notice the disappointment that had settled inside him. He didn't even know where this desire to have possession of Roy's hand had come from, he was not some vapid female. And yet… but not wanting to dwell further on it he busied himself following after Roy, trying to take his mind off of it by latching onto conversation. "Tomorrow I'll come find you. I'm sure I'll be wanting to sleep in, I'm going to have a much later night than you I expect."

Roy chuckled as he looked over at the blond. "Nightly hunt? I thought we properly fed you back there."

"I rarely would hunt at night anyway," Edward corrected, but shook his head with a smile. "No… it's… something else."

"Something else." Roy repeated, and decided that by the look on Edward's face, he'd not get anything more out of him. "Very well, I'll wait for you to show up so you can sleep."

Edward was grateful that Roy didn't seem to notice his nervousness about what the 'something else' was. An interrogation of that sort was the last thing he needed, considering his nerves and repetitive thoughts of what the hell he was thinking.

"So in answer to your question, yes. Tomorrow night we can explore the livelier parts of this island's nightlife." Roy finally answered as they were rounding the last curve that separated the Bay from the rest of the island.

That successfully broke Edward away from his nerves with a rather large grin. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure." And glancing Edward's way he smiled softly, "you're too special to me that I could want anything else."

Edward looked over at him, expression unreadable aside from the slight smile. "I know." He doubted that even the most promiscuous of the pod could tempt Roy away from him, he was no fool. He knew how Roy felt about him. The human might not have said the words, but it was all there in everything else Roy did, and said.

Roy remained silent, but silently, he was pleased. He may not have Edward as his own, but he doubted he'd ever get tired of Edward knowing how he felt. Even if that was all he could ever have, that, and their fledgling friendship.

When they at last came back to the near vicinity of Roy's cottage, they paused where they were. Edward looking between the ocean and Roy a moment, as Roy merely watched Edward, and waited.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Edward finally spoke, "sometime before noon I imagine."

"Just come up to the cottage," although secretly Roy doubted he'd be doing anything tomorrow but waiting without trying to appear as if he were waiting, for Edward to show up, "let yourself in if you want. But I should be home around that time."

No doubt he would.

Edward nodded slowly before offering a truly bright smile, "I had fun today… thanks for being needy and getting me up at that ungodly hour."

"I'm sure it was well past eight." Roy argued, but smiled back. "It was a lot of fun though, you're right. Not that I thought having a splashing war with a seal would ever be such a challenge, or fun, but at least I don't feel emasculated."

Edward snorted, reflexively smacking Roy across the top of his head. "You could never feel emasculated around me."

Roy chuckled at the truth of it. "At least you know you're that attractive."

"That's not what I – Roy!" Edward protested frantically in embarrassment. "I meant more of we're the same gender, you don't seem to see me like a girl, and there's no way in hell you could ever be a girl, and sure we held hands a few times but," Edward broke off blushing before shaking his head, "oh sod it, this is all your fault, Roy Mustang!"

Roy was nearly beside himself laughing. And as far as he was concerned, Edward looked positively delectable when embarrassed and adamant like this. Yet he managed to get a decent grip on his vocal amusement as he grabbed Edward's arm and pulled the blond to him where he hugged the surprised selkie gently, but firmly. "Yes, you are very much a man… of a sort…" he chuckled again as Edward snorted, but then lowered his voice to a near whisper as he added, "yes, you seem to crave physical contact with me, even just touching my hand. And yes, you _are_ that attractive."

Edward shivered, pressing himself a bit more against Roy as his own arms went around the man hugging him. "Damn impulses." He whispered against Roy's chest where his head rested. "It's not a craving… just foolish whims I don't understand."

"Do you not enjoy them?" Roy breathed down into Edward's hair, barely restraining the urge to bury his fingers in the soft locks that smelled sinfully of his own shampoo. Closing his eyes, he prayed for control. "Do you not like these _foolish whims_, how they make you feel?"

"It's not them that make me feel anything." Edward corrected in a voice quieted as much from proximity, as an internal struggle of emotions he didn't want Roy to hear. "They never make me feel the way I do afterwards… or during." He admitted breathlessly as his hands seemed to weave on their own into the fabric of Roy's shirt.

Roy groaned despite every attempt pathetically made to stifle it, and he knew that this couldn't continue much longer. This torturous, wondrous proximity. But fuck… he didn't want it to stop. "How do I make you feel?"

Edward slowly pulled back at the question, but only back enough to look up and meet Roy's darkened gaze, feeling another one of those shivers that had nothing to do with a decrease in temperature pass through him. "Alive."

It was an answer that seemed oddly perfect, and Roy reached one hand up to graze his fingers against Edward's cheek. "It's nice, isn't it," he replied softly, "to finally know what it feels like to live."

"Even you?" Edward asked just as softly, his eyes never once wavering from Roy's.

"Yes." Roy smiled rather wistfully as he brushed his fingers back through Edward's hair, his gaze flickering only a short moment with sadness before it was chased away by something over-bright. "It's just cruel irony that it's you."

Edward ducked his head then, trying to stave off the flash of guilt within him. He knew what he must be doing to Roy… what Roy kept seeking out… and none of that made this any easier for him to bear, much less do anything to lessen his fears. "I should be going, it's really late."

Roy nodded, knowing it was for the best. He'd been much too close there after that question to telling Edward without any icings just how he felt about the selkie. And that wasn't anything he felt was fair to do. "I'll see you tomorrow. You enjoy your night." He replied, and on his own impulse and need, hugged Edward to him again briefly before pulling completely away.

Edward stepped back, looking up at Roy with a solemn, contemplative expression as he fought to keep his hands from showing any of his nerves. "You really don't want anyone else?"

"Edward, what I told you was the truth," Roy answered quietly, offering a smile before making to turn to leave. "I don't want anyone else. And I never will. You've already…" he shook his head roughly to clear those overly-sentimental thoughts as he fully turned in want to walk back up the shore, "I'll always belong to you."

Edward remained silent, far too much on his mind to do anything but watch Roy walk back up towards the cottage. But it was fine, he knew that really, Roy wasn't looking for an answer. He knew that Roy wouldn't push how he felt. So with a last look at the man he turned as well in order to splash into the surf where he soon vanished among it.

Roy only looked back when he reached the doors, and seeing only empty beach, he knew that Edward was probably far out at sea by now. He watched the waves roll in under the moonlight only a few minutes longer before he headed inside to seek out his bed.

**X**

When at last Edward reached the rest of his kind, he scrambled himself wetly up onto a rock. Those who were still awake greeted him quietly so as not to wake those asleep, and he nodded to them, returning their greetings just as quietly as he shimmied his way around the rocks over to where his mother lay.

"_Mother?"_ Aur queried softly as he reached her, and when she raised her head, blinking a sleepy seal-smile greeting at him, _"I need to speak to you, alone."_

She raised her head fully now, eyes much more alert. _"Then let's go for a swim."_

Aur was more than relieved at her catching on so fast, he didn't want to have to explain why, or explain at all in front of the others. _"I know a good place." _And without waiting for confirmation, he slipped off the rock and back into the sea.

Waiting only to see that his mother had joined him, Aur began to make a path for the cove he and Roy had spent so much time at earlier that day. And he didn't stop swimming until he reached it.

Aur propelled his way up onto the sand, and as soon as his mother had joined him with that expression that told him she was listening, and he'd better tell her why the hell he'd awoken her, he got to it. _"Roy is in love with me."_

"_Is he now?" _Suddenly being roused from her sleep wasn't so bad at all, and her whiskers twitched in barely repressed amusement and happiness.

"_And I think I might love him back." _Aur continued as if he hadn't heard her, and really, he hadn't. _"Today, when we were together, and when he would…" _he shook his head abruptly to keep himself from relating just what had gone on, his mother really didn't need to know and it was embarrassing as hell to even think about her knowing. _"I wanted so badly to kiss him again. No one has ever made me feel like this. And he knows it. He makes me feel things I never thought I'd feel for anyone. But I… I'm scared to be left alone when he dies, feel that pain for centuries to come." _

For a moment, Aur's mother didn't reply at all, only shifted her stance over the sand. _"Even if you were to fall in love with one of our own kind, you still couldn't know that they'd not die before you and you'd live centuries still without them. Either way, Aur, someone has to die first. And for a selkie, that will always mean the chance of being left alone for centuries upon centuries. But if you let something like death stand in your way at finding love, than what meaning did life ever truly have?"_

"_How can you be strong like that? After what happened with father?" _Aur asked her in an almost pained whine. _"If you felt for father as I do for Roy, how could you ever survive losing him?"_

"_Because I had you."_ She replied simply, a smile twitching her whiskers upwards. _"And because I had made every moment with him count for a lifetime. No regrets, nothing held back. So if you think that you might love Roy in return, don't hold back. Make everything count… because I promise you, it'll help you get through the coming centuries without wanting to throw yourself into freshwater."_

"_If I didn't care for him, I wouldn't be so scared to feel that pain."_ Aur chirped softly, mostly to himself, finally admitting to himself the truth of it. _"Did you ever feel this way, mom? About father? Conflicted with our kinds' past with the humans, afraid… yet you can't help but… fall?"_

"_I was terrified at first." _She admitted with a small whistling sigh. _"But I realized I had more to lose in regrets if I never took the chance I did on him. I knew it wouldn't be for forever, but I wanted what time I could have. Otherwise I knew I'd swim these seas for centuries later, wondering, regretting."_ And then she gave a melancholic barking laugh. _"That, and I wanted him too much. The man was attractive as hell for that time period, and the kindest man I'd ever met."_

Aur only tried for a moment to decide whether or not that was too much information about his parents than he needed or wanted to know, then shook it off. _"He doesn't care that I might only see him for a few months, or even weeks every three years, he just wants to be with me. However he can… even if only as a friend. He doesn't care that I'm different, I know he was falling for me before he knew what I am."_

"_He loves you for you, and loves you enough to respect that humans, to you, haven't been the type you'd give your heart to." _

"_I think that he's the only one who I would trust enough to give my heart to, and let that control go."_ Aur replied quietly, feeling that glow of happiness that seemed to come hand-in-hand with Roy. _"He makes me feel so alive, desired for the right_ _reasons for once in a life filled with nothing but humans who want to use me for their own pleasure, never mine. And I… when I first noticed he'd taken my hand today when we were sitting in the sand together… it was all I could do not to think about climbing into his lap and giving in to it. I feel safe with him, I feel like… like I can finally be _me_! And that's enough for him. I can finally feel desire not because of a thrall, but because I love him."_

After hearing that passionate speech, his mother couldn't help but smile that seal-like smile. _"You should go to him, Aur."_

Aur felt something churn pleasantly inside him at the thought, even the mere thought of going back to Roy was making his heart beat faster, and that was nothing on what he felt for the brief moment he allowed himself to think of kissing the man. _"Not yet… I will, but not tonight. I need some time still, just to be sure."_

"_I know you're afraid, Aur,"_ she trilled gently, _"out of anyone, I do know."_

"_Maybe…" _Aur mused slowly to himself, _"maybe Roy can help me be unafraid… give me enough to last my lifetime."_


	3. Chapter 3

_Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds._

_- William Shakespeare_

…_The following day…_

Roy had already had quite the busy start to his day, deciding it was best to have occupied himself with going off to the hardware store and purchasing the materials needed to build a secure shelf to set that seashell seal atop for safekeeping. And once he'd accomplished that, he immediately got to work on building the shelf and bracketing it firmly into the wall while tossing back mouthfuls of lukewarm beer.

Now he stood surveying his handiwork, hand gripping his beer, shirtless – which meant he was covered in a slight film of sawdust from nearly head to toe, and a pleased smile on his face.

The shelf was a decent piece of handiwork, if he did say so himself. And when he fetched the seashell seal to place it up on its new perch, it became far more than decent. He knew Edward would be pleased… especially for the fact that he'd built the shelf at a low level where the blond would be able to easily reach.

His gaze drifted to the floor as a faint smile appeared at the thought of the selkie. Tapping his forefinger against the glass of the beer bottle he shook his head with a gusty breath of wry amusement at his situation.

"The only one I've ever truly wanted for forever, and I can't have him." Roy suddenly took a deep drink of his beer, nearly emptying the bottle in one go. "Maybe it's what I deserve. All this searching for fire in others, and when I find the sun…" all that blond hair, those molten gold eyes, "I guess no one is ever meant to possess the sun."

Taking one last glance at the shelf and its singular occupant, Roy headed off into his bedroom, intent on having a shower to wash off all the sawdust before Edward arrived.

When he was finished, he merely pulled on a clean pair of swim trunks and a plain white t-shirt over it. He really wasn't sure what they'd decide to end up doing this afternoon, but he knew better than to discount it wouldn't involve the water at one point or another.

He was rubbing his damp towel through his hair as he exited his bedroom and found that his patio deck doors were thrown open. But instead of feeling suspicious about what tourist was trying to steal his beers, he merely smiled as he made his way towards them.

He didn't see anyone else inside, so he knew where Edward must be lurking.

Walking out as quietly as he could, he found Edward leaning against the railing to the left, watching the waves roll in. And with a smile he crept up, still as silently as he could, and when he was only mere feet away, tossed the towel he'd been drying his hair with over Edward's head.

Edward startled with a yelp as he whipped the towel off his head while whirling about to glare heatedly at the smirking human behind him. "Sure _now_ you don't make any noise."

"Noise is overrated, wouldn't you say?" Roy grinned at him, the grin only growing when Edward lobbed the towel back in his face.

"It's a good thing that I know you're the only one who'd be up here." Edward pouted with crossed arms.

Roy slung the towel over one shoulder as he considered the effect of a pout on Edward's face… and decided that the blond looked quite delectable like that. The way that pout pursed his lips made him long to kiss Edward senseless. "Considering I haven't seen what few neighbors I have in quite a long time, yes, I'd say you'd be safe in that judgment."

"They must live a long way away." Edward mused as he looked back out over the railing towards the beach.

"An acceptably long distance." Roy agreed as he walked over to join Edward at the railing, resting his forearms down and leaning forward. "Which is just fine by me. I've not been tempted to visit them since I figured it out for myself who you are. The women of the bunch, they're big selkie fans as far as the sex factor goes. I'm pretty sure they've tried before to summon one, but there've just been none in range."

Edward's expression turned serious as his eyes darkened at this new knowledge. "None of us have been summoned since we've been here. Hopefully their previous failed attempt will keep them from trying again. A warm current does not always mean we will be around after all."

"As long as they don't touch you." Roy ground out adamantly. "I'm glad to hear though that your pod is being left alone."

Edward looked over at him, his expression clearing from its frown as he basked in the warmth Roy's words gave him. They were as possessive as they were protective, and he couldn't feel anything but gratitude for it… for he knew now that he didn't ever want to be with anyone but Roy ever again. "I think you'd notice if I'd been summoned by anyone. It…" he trailed off for a moment with a pained expression before shaking it away, "it makes me very quiet for a few days afterwards."

Roy's gaze hardened before he put one arm comfortingly around Edward's shoulders to draw him against his side. Edward didn't resist, only continued to look up at him with those fiery eyes. "Try not to think about it. You're safe with me. It's time you make some better memories of humans."

"I already have." Edward replied honestly as he smiled up at Roy. Though it was a shy smile to be sure, his insides were a mass of warm nerves, knowing what he was trying to get up the bravery to say to Roy… to admit to himself.

"Good." Roy moved his arm so that he could ruffle Edward's hair affectionately, earning himself a growl in return. Smirking, he moved his arm away entirely. "So what did you want to do today? Or is it my choice?"

Edward brightened at the questions, although he was still battling the urge to growl again, this time over the loss of contact. "Actually… there's someplace I want to take you, if you'll pack yourself some food and water."

Roy raised a questioning eyebrow even as he gave a short nod. "Boat trip then, I'm thinking?"

"Yeah." Edward grinned. "You'll finally have biceps after I'm done with you."

Roy snorted as he whacked Edward around the head good-naturedly. "Mine are bigger than yours, so I wouldn't taunt too much, sandy little angel."

"I'm smaller than you anyway." Edward pointed out grudgingly.

Roy smirked as he turned, making to go back inside and pack himself some food for the day. "Which I happen to like. Don't ever spend too long wishing you could change your height, Edward. You're perfect as you are."

Edward smiled after him brightly and padded after the human feeling rather cheerful.

"How did your late night last night go?" Roy asked as he made his way through his cottage over to the kitchen.

Edward was glad Roy's back was turned, lest the man see the bright red blush that took over his face. "It was helpful. I needed it." And before Roy could question him further, he fled to the man's bedroom and shortly thereafter, bathroom.

Roy looked after Edward with a flicker of amusement. The selkie had sure beat a quick retreat, he wondered just what the blond had gotten up to. Probably some aspect of Edward's existence that embarrassed him. No matter, he knew what Edward must be up to in there. So he got to work making himself some sandwiches and packing up other snacks that he knew Edward would be able to tolerate.

He was just finishing packing up the small cooler with ice, food, water, and the essential beer when Edward made an appearance again. This time freshly showered and looking extremely pleased.

"You gave me my own pile of clothes to choose from." Edward chirped happily.

Roy grinned as he hefted the loaded-down cooler onto the kitchen table. "Just a small part, temporary even, of giving you a better clothes situation. If you'll allow it, I'd like to take you shopping one day. Find some things that are meant to fit you. Because even when you leave… I hope you'll be back one day?"

Edward watched, unable to help from feeling something twist inside him at the uncertain, hopeful look that crossed Roy's face. And he knew that he had to alleviate Roy's fears about that. "If you'll be here waiting for me, I'll come back. I know I will." And he walked over to stand before the man before saying firmly. "Even if I have to go off by myself, away from the current and the pod, I will come back to you."

Roy felt a relieved smile cross his lips as he nodded once. "I'll always be waiting for you."

Edward smiled back, his eyes searching Roy's own and finding nothing but truth there. And he found himself wondering how _he_, of all selkies, would have found someone like Roy. "Come with me… there's someplace I really want you to see."

"How can I refuse?"

And so Edward helped Roy with the loading up of the dinghy and hauling it down to the water's edge. Once there Roy took possession of the shirt Edward would no longer need for some time, tossing it into the boat as he shoved it off into the waves. Edward meanwhile waded out on the pretense of helping shove the boat from behind to get it past the roughest of the incoming waves before ducking under the water.

Roy merely fished the now floating swim trunks that had been in the stack of clothes he'd set aside for Edward's use before beginning to row out towards open sea once more. He knew the selkie would give further directions as soon as he felt comfortable in surfacing.

That moment came about the time he finally made it past the markers of Seolh Bay and into true open ocean.

Edward surfaced with a huff of air that sprayed droplets every which way, and he slunk his way through the water to come up next to the dinghy.

"Just give me a general direction and I'm good." Roy said as Edward came up to the side of the dinghy, and on reflex, he was already readying himself for the chance that the selkie might try to broadside him and go for a capsizing.

Edward trilled lowly before giving an abrupt shake of his head and swimming up farther towards the bow of the dinghy. Raising one flipper up out of the water he began to tap on the side insistently.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific." Roy informed him, already abandoning his oars in order to move towards the fore of the boat carefully.

Edward made a rather offended belching noise before suddenly shapeshifting. "Toss me the rope. And while we're at it, make sure your end is secure. We'll never get there in a decent hour if I let you row on your own."

Suddenly, Roy was staring back into a seal's face, and he merely rolled his eyes as he tossed down the required rope where it was instantly snatched up in Edward's vise-like mouth. "You're the one who wanted to sleep in." He felt he needed to point out, and was splashed for his opinion as Edward dove back under a bit more vigorously than was probably necessary.

Idly, Roy wondered as he made his way back to his seat, he couldn't help but be curious if Edward would actually be any help as a towing component. He didn't have too much time to dwell on it however, as the dinghy gave a sudden lurch forward, causing Roy to have to grip quickly to the sides to avoid being thrown backwards into the water.

"I guess that answers that." He grunted to himself as he took up the oars once more and began to row in the direction he was being pulled from under the surface of the water.

He just hoped that wherever Edward was intent on taking him would be relatively empty of people.

Roy got his answer an hour and a beer later.

It was barely a blip even up close, but even so, it was there. A tiny spit of white sandy beach shaded by scrawny palms. There appeared to be nothing remarkable about it at all, but Roy knew better than to think Edward had been so insistent to bring him to a place this far out that had nothing special about it. There were plenty of other, nearer places, they could have gone. Needless to say, he was very curious when he felt the rope go slack, and he took to rowing the rest of the way on his own.

He tossed the swim trunks into the water as he went, and paid no mind to the surging splash of water that soon followed the landing of them.

"Where exactly are we?" Roy asked after he'd hauled the dinghy up onto the shore and was working on securing it to one of the palms.

Edward had just recently slopped sopping wet out of the surf, and was wringing his hair out in one hand. "Few miles south." And he caught the towel Roy tossed to him and began to dry off his upper body and hair. "This is… well, you'll soon see."

"You definitely have my curiosity." Roy informed him, finishing with the rope with a satisfied grunt before turning to haul the cooler up out of the dinghy and wedge it firmly into the sand.

"I first came here when I was about eight." Edward mused with a somewhat tilted head as he gazed around. "Humans sailing by just write this place off as a meaningless bit of land. But selkies, we'll put up anywhere for the night, so we know better."

Roy snapped the lid of the cooler shut again, a beer in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. The latter he tossed to Edward, who caught it easily. "Well, you'll find this human willing to defer to your expert knowledge."

Edward smirked at him, twisting the cap off the bottle of water. "Such a smart human you are."

"Hey, I figured out what you were, not really believing in it before." Roy pointed out. "I could have written it all off as just a bunch of odd occurrences."

"You're more perceptive than that." Edward mumbled into the bottle before tipping it back for a quick drink. "Not that I mind, really. I did come back after all. I'd had every intention of swimming as far away as possible from that island."

"Why did you come back?" Roy asked at last, not ever having understood why the newly-discovered selkie hadn't fled, but at the time been far too happy that Edward hadn't to ask him about it.

Edward looked away with a small sigh, twisting the cap back onto the bottle of water. "Everything I trusted was telling me to stay, to go back to you. It's not any more complicated than that."

Roy chose not to remark that it sure sounded complicated to him, but then he wasn't somehow linked to an ocean current, not really having that sixth sense. Nor was his instinct bound to be anything like Edward's. "Has that magnetic pull to me, or whatever, let up yet?"

"No." Edward answered honestly, and to be frank with himself, he was puzzled by that. Shouldn't it be enough for all of what drew him to Roy that he was nearly certain that he was falling in love with the human? That was more than he ever thought he'd find with Roy. Days ago he'd have laughed himself silly at the idea that he would come to love this human. _Any_ human!

"Well we still have time." Roy offered in comfort. "Now then, what do you propose we do?"

Edward walked over to Roy with a smile, plucking the beer out of his hand. "I wouldn't have brought you here if you weren't a good swimmer. So lose the shirt and follow me."

Roy was incredibly glad when Edward turned to wander over to the cooler, and was even more glad that he was about to get in the water which would help distract his body from the effects of Edward telling him to lose clothing.

Fuck he really was hopeless.

With a shake of his head, Roy lost the indicated shirt, tossing it into the dinghy along with the one Edward had abandoned previously. He then quickly headed into the water after Edward, who had set their drinks aside for the moment.

"You'll need to grab onto me, hold me around my neck, just don't choke me. I won't thank you for that."

Roy tried not to mentally list all the possible other things he'd enjoy grabbing onto, trying to focus as Edward continued to speak.

"The current is just a little rough underneath the surface, so I'll need to get you past it." Edward paused for a moment, still walking slowly back deeper, before asking. "How long can you hold your breath, about?"

"This late in the day, and after more than one beer throughout it? Three minutes, about." Roy said thoughtfully.

"Not bad for a drunk human." Edward grinned, and before Roy could make a retort, he ducked under the water.

Roy merely sniffed haughtily as he plucked the swim trunks up out of the water as they floated to the surface, and lobbed them back over towards the dinghy where they caught on the side and began to drip-dry.

"I'd like to see you get drunk, selkie. See how long you can hold your breath then." Roy informed Edward as a slate grey seal surfaced sideways in front of him.

Edward bore golden eyes into the human, the mental smirk clearly evident in their gleam. And he stayed quite still, as best he could against the slight rolling current up on the surface, until Roy had firmly circled an arm about his neck.

"When you're ready." Roy spoke, and quickly took a breath as Edward faced forward, and shortly thereafter, down. The water rushed past him in a roaring surge, and he was almost positive he'd left his stomach back on the surface as Edward pelted downwards with ease, even with a passenger.

And he knew the moment it occurred what Edward had meant by a rough current. About five feet down he encountered the ocean's version of turbulence. Suddenly he became glad he'd left his stomach back on the surface, and fought not to tighten his grip around Edward further. He trusted the selkie to know what he was doing.

Then suddenly, everything was calm. And surprisingly clear.

Roy looked around in surprise, having thought that sand from the bottom would have made it cloudy after that carnival ride he'd just been through. But he'd actually never seen water clearer.

And that was no imposition to what was laid before his eyes.

Rising from the white sandy depths untouched by the currents, were multiple roman columns, carved stone archways with topaz tile inlays, crumbling structures that must have once been grand sights indeed, and they were all gathered up against what had once been a mountain, that due to the currents midway up, had been siphoned away into just the small spit of beach at the surface.

He hadn't seen anything like this since he'd vacationed in Greece one year as a teenager. And this… this was so much more.

This sunken city that at one time must have been a truly prosperous and wealthy place was now sunk beneath the surface. Eroded by the ocean, but slowly, for the violent current above had done its job in protecting the structures from the worst, and the coral reefs just beginning to grow around it would only further serve to help preserve it.

But Roy was jerked out of his awed sightseeing as Edward began to swim forward, taking him closer in under one of the sweeping archways. He was still fine for air, and knew that Edward would take a hint the moment he needed some.

So quite happily he allowed Edward to pull him along a bit, down nearer to the sandy bottom that as they slipped by it, he could see was also tiled in a blue and white pattern. And they weren't the only ones down there, he soon learned, as schools of fish that Edward restrained himself from chasing fled upon sighting the selkie, and several massive sea turtles bobbed through the water placidly.

But before long Edward was suddenly circling towards the surface again, and as they hit the more turbulent waters he paid close mind that Roy's hold wouldn't slip as he guided them up, and not long after, to the surface.

Roy immediately took several deep breaths as they bobbed there, his arms still draped around Edward like a flotation device. And in a way, Edward was. But as he got his breath back he slipped to only have an arm draped around the selkie's shoulders. "That's incredible, you know. How old are those ruins?"

Edward dipped down from under Roy's arm, surfacing not long later before the man as a man himself. And looking down thoughtfully as he treaded water he began to answer, his eyes gradually making their way back up to Roy. "When I first came here my mother told me that the ocean had risen up and taken that city, and several others, with it when she was only a little over a hundred years old. There were many great storms, apparently, during those times."

Roy quickly tried to count back the centuries before giving the drenched blond a flummoxed look. "They had civilizations that advanced in these parts that long ago?"

Edward snorted, "I don't know why you think yours is anything special. Maybe it's because of my limited exposure, but during the hundred years I did walk this earth as well as swim it, I saw civilizations develop technology in a matter of years that would probably astound you. Your generation isn't the only smart one that's come along."

Roy chuckled good-naturedly, knowing better than to take offense. Instead he offered his hand out to the blond. "Well I'm ready for another go if you are. You said you wanted to share my passions, the same goes for me."

Edward flashed him a brilliant grin before suddenly shapeshifting. His joy that he didn't need to explain it to Roy that he'd brought the man here because _he_ liked it here, and that Roy _wanted_ to spend time sharing what he enjoyed sent excitement racing through him. And with an eager trill he motored over so that he was in position for Roy to grab onto him again.

Roy had barely secured his grip and gotten a breath before Edward dived back under with a series of clicks that were far louder under the water, and echoed. And as he clung firmly, he smiled as Edward took them farther down. He could tell without a doubt that Edward was happy.

And that was no loss in his eyes.

This time Edward banked them down and around to one of the structures furthest out, near to where the coral was beginning to grow. And it was here that Edward stopped, clicking at Roy until the man got the hint and released him.

Roy hovered on his own in the water, watching as Edward flipped upside down before settling down on the bottom. And he watched with fascination as Edward began to rummage through the sand with his flippers – as if they were hands – until with a delighted cry that seemed to vibrate the water around them, Edward won.

Roy scrambled back in alarm through the water as out from the sand shot up a stingray that had to be at least three meters long. But even more alarming was what _Edward_ was doing.

Thrilled cries spilled out of Edward as he continued to piggyback the stingray as it bobbed sharply up and down through the water trying to shake him off. It was stupid fun, but it was fun! With his flippers anchoring him at the front of the triangular fins, it was much like the underwater version of bull riding.

They'd gotten the idea in Spain, unsurprisingly.

But Edward knew he couldn't do this until the stingray managed to shake him off, and they _always_ did. He had Roy to watch out for. So with some regret he freed his entertainment and swam back around to Roy while expressing his amusement in lilting trills.

Roy rolled his eyes at Edward's antics, glad the selkie appeared to have enjoyed himself, but just as glad that Edward wasn't harmed from the experience. And as Edward approached him he reached out a hand while glancing up towards the surface.

Edward quickly took the hint, and within several seconds he was carrying Roy back to the surface.

Roy surfaced with a gasp for air before turning to the selkie at his side who was now chirping cheerfully. "How did you know one was down there?"

Edward slipped out from under Roy's arm before he shapeshifted once again. "I live down there. After a while you learn to see the differences in how the sand lays. You can tell if something's been by, or is there."

"It really is fascinating down there." Roy marveled to himself.

"Of course it is." Edward laughed cheerfully. "There's a reason I can stay one hundred years in the ocean and not get bored." And then he tilted his head a bit as he continued to absently tread water. "If you were able to hold your breath long enough I'd take you down there to where there used to be an art gallery. Many of the pieces are still preserved perfectly, and inside the building itself is a work of art."

"I'll bet you could make me rich as a treasure hunter." Roy laughed, "maybe I'll see what I can do about getting at least some basic scuba gear." And he quickly explained, realizing that Edward wouldn't understand what he'd meant. "It's an air tank, with a breathing apparatus for underwater exploration. That way I can stay under for at least an hour with you."

Edward wasn't seeing a downside to that, and he grinned. "You should! I can show you so much."

"It's settled then. Give me time to investigate getting one, and I'll keep you informed." Roy was more than happy to spend more time with Edward beneath the water. "How long can you stay underneath yourself without needing air?"

"Depends on what I'm doing." Edward admitted. "If I'm chasing or being chased I use up my air faster. But I've slept an entire night below water more than once. I know it's not normal for seals, but I'm no seal."

"Definitely not."

After a time that included a few more dunks underneath the water, the two of them swam back up to the shore to slosh up to the sand. And as Roy emerged dripping wet he walked over to the dinghy to toss Edward's swim trunks to him before grabbing a towel and beginning to dry off as he looked around.

It seemed that the former mountain he now stood on had been eroded quite nicely over the centuries. He doubted that palm trees and sand had been up here before the ocean took control.

"Are you hungry?" Roy asked as he stooped to pluck his now warm beer from the sand.

Edward had just begun drying himself off with another towel, "a bit." He admitted as he padded over with the towel draped across his head. "Am I to assume by your question that you brought food for me?"

Roy looked up, snorted at the sight of Edward practically dwarfed by the towel over his head, and bent to ease the lid of the cooler up. "Of course I did. Unless you'd rather go hunt. I'd not want to spoil you."

Edward scowled as he fetched his water bottle from where it'd been wedged in the sand, and unscrewing the cap he took a long drink. "You're spoiling me by giving me this stuff." He said once he was done, shaking the half-empty bottle of water in front of Roy's face. "I'm accustomed to saltwater."

"Well if you'd like me to carry around the table salt for you, I can." Roy grinned at him as he pulled free a cold sandwich for himself, and a Tupperware container of sliced fruits for Edward.

"I'll pass, thanks." Edward mumbled as he took possession of the container. And with keen interest he suddenly beat a retreat to the shade of one of the scrawny palms where he sat and pried off the lid.

Roy closed the lid to the cooler, chuckling as he did so when he heard Edward's trill of happiness. It was strange how quickly he'd grown to find such sounds normal. Although anyone else he'd have thought was insane.

"So I guess that'll do for you?" Roy asked as he walked over to plop in the sand and join the blond.

Edward was nibbling delicately on a very juicy section of peach, and unable to really speak, he nodded while looking over at Roy with shining eyes.

"Yep, I'm spoiling you." Roy grinned, and slouched a bit with a sigh of relief. His muscles were just a bit sore after being buffeted so many times by that current midway down. "I have some raw calamari for you as well. Gross looking stuff, calamari, but I figured you might enjoy it."

Edward finally paused in his nibbling of the peach slice to grin at Roy. "Be glad you humans don't try to eat most of the entire squid. They're not very pretty animals any way you look at them."

Roy could agree there, and they ate in comfortable silence until Edward decided he wanted his calamari. Which left Roy to get the bag as Edward suddenly shapeshifted. Something that suited him just fine, actually, as he heard Edward rustle through the sand after him.

He allowed himself only a brief, wicked grin before he sobered.

Pulling free the plastic baggie and a plastic plate Roy knelt in the sand while placing the plate down as Edward flopped over to him. "You're rather less elegant in the sand." He remarked, his grin only flaring larger when he was growled at.

Edward sniffed haughtily, but as Roy poured the lovely little bits of calamari onto the plate, he was cheered significantly. And as soon as Roy was done he dove in as delicately as he dared, being sure to keep his whiskers clear at all times.

Roy grinned as he sat back, watching Edward valiantly try to keep himself clean. It really was endearing to watch. But he didn't let himself get too distracted, because at the point in time that Edward was nearly done, he reached into the cooler sneakily.

And he bided his time carefully until Edward had nibbled up the last piece, a wicked grin broke onto his face again. "Edward."

Edward looked up, and before he knew it, a medium-sized beach ball of orange and green was soaring at his head. And like a shot, he flung himself to the side to grab it out of the air with his flippers and a joyful squeal. Everything else flew from his mind as he rolled back and forth on his back, batting the ball up into the air only to catch it and snuggle it to his body, gnawing on it lightly a bit before tossing it back up again.

Roy was nearly beside himself with silent laughter, watching as Edward would bat it up higher with his tail before rolling around with it again, all the while gleeful noises leaving the selkie. He had one arm thrown around the cooler to anchor him as laughter wracked him so hard it almost hurt, and tears were gathering at the corners of his eyes.

Edward continued to squeal happily, rubbing his head affectionately along the beach ball before tossing it back up again. Nothing else registered in his mind, his full attention was enraptured by the round object.

And as Edward had said, he would be obsessed until he tired. After all the swimming he'd done with Roy, it didn't take too much longer. And Roy tried to stifle his laughter down as Edward suddenly let the beach ball bounce off away from him.

Edward blinked only once, sleepily, before he remembered where he was… and what had happened. An embarrassed shriek escaped him as he scrambled back onto his belly, golden eyes wide as they stared at Roy in shock and accusation.

A small chuckle escaped Roy as he braced himself against the look, but he was unable to help his grin. "You're absolutely adorable."

Edward squeaked in embarrassment, and feeling just a little huffy, he fled for the water – intent on pouting at the bottom on the fact that he had no self-control.

Roy just grinned after the selkie's retreat, not too worried. "But hell, way to make me jealous of a beach ball." He added as he stretched forward to reach across the sand and grab the ball back. Putting it back inside the cooler he sat back with a relaxed sigh and a grin. "He's never going to forgive me for that one."

But it had been entirely worth it.

Meanwhile at the bottom, Edward was grumbling to himself as he floated along the sand in circles, disturbing it with his flippers. He wasn't exactly mad at Roy. Mostly, he was mad that he hadn't been able to control himself.

It was embarrassing! Acting like that.

"_These damn impulses._" But a shiver that had nothing to do with embarrassment quivered through his body. "_Why can I act on _that_ one,_" he murmured to himself, "_but I still can't seem to kiss him again? I've got to be braver than this._"

Eventually he returned to the surface, feeling pensive instead of pouty.

Before long he was sitting down beside Roy, offering the man a shy look. "You're evil."

Roy smiled at him, and raising his arm up he put it around Edward's shoulders, stunned to silence for a moment when Edward leaned against him with a contented sounding breath. A stirring inside him caused him to clear his throat, and suddenly shift one knee a bit upwards before he said, in a strained sounding voice, "but I could tell you enjoyed it."

Edward let his eyes close as he relaxed against the human's firm, warm body. "You're still evil."

Roy smiled faintly, and angling his hand up he brushed it through Edward's wet, blond hair carefully so he'd not tug. "I enjoy watching you when you're happy." And he only smiled more as a yawn met his statement. "Want to sleep while I row us back? We should be getting back soon if you want to go exploring the island nightlife tonight."

Edward hummed as he opened his eyes to tilt his head back against Roy's shoulder and check the position of the sun. "No, I'll be fine. I'll help tow you back."

Roy didn't argue, and as Edward relaxed back against him he couldn't have argued even if he'd wanted to. Instead they sat there, reaching for drinks every so often until they decided mutually that they should start heading back now.

So between the two of them they got the dinghy loaded once more and on its way back to Seolh Bay.

They arrived perhaps an hour into nightfall, which suited both of them just fine, actually. By now the beach was empty. And so Edward was able to shapeshift with far fewer concerns and help Roy get the dinghy back up to the cottage.

Not long later they trooped inside, and Roy waved Edward off to the shower while he got things put away. Which was surprisingly quite a bit. But once he finally finished he let himself out onto the patio, crossing over to the railing where he leaned his forearms down against it, eyes gazing at the ocean as the gentle waves sparkled and foamed under the moonlight.

A sigh slipped past his lips as he bowed his head, raising one hand to run his fingers raggedly through his hair. "So hopeless…" he breathed, "I can't even stop him from touching me, just for my own sanity. What a joke I must be." Shaking his head he put his hand back down, looking out to the ocean beseechingly. As if the dark waters held all the answers.

He wasn't sure how long he stood out there before he felt a hand rest up on his shoulder.

Edward's head tilted quizzically as he regarded Roy. "Are you okay?"

Roy smiled at him, not wanting to worry the selkie. And certainly not about his unrequited feelings. He knew how Edward felt about falling in love with a human. "Yeah. Just enjoying the evening." Pulling away he started back inside. "I'll be ready shortly. Need to get the sand out of my ass."

Edward blushed through his grimace, and watching Roy's retreat, he tried not to stare the entire time at said ass. But once Roy was out of viewing range, he blushed even more through a smile. "Seems rather a nice ass so far." He muttered to himself as he turned around to watch the ocean as Roy had been, his heart already beginning to race in excitement.

Roy hadn't lied about the time it would take him, and venturing out onto the deck he paused. He had to admit, even if his clothes were a little big for Edward, the blond didn't look half bad at all. But casting it from his mind as best he could he ventured back to Edward's side. "Remind me to buy you lots of jeans. You look good in them."

Edward looked up at him happily. "Can you swim in them?"

Roy nearly groaned at the mental image. Wet denim clinging to every previously missed contour? The added weight tugging them lower than normal around those slender hips? "You can if you want, but they'll be heavy. And best make sure you're alone, because any sane human would want to jump you seeing that."

Edward filed this away for use on one sane human in particular. "Good to know."

"Well, let's get going then." Roy announced as he turned to lock up. "I brought my wallet, so if you want to go anywhere or buy anything we can."

"Wet jeans." Edward mumbled under his breath, hardly loud enough for Roy to hear. And quickly he followed the man down to the beach.

Together they made their way back to the marketplace area, which unsurprisingly to Roy, sounded a lot like Marti Gras right now. Clearly the tourists were out in force, as was the entertainment consisting of so many bands, that Roy was having a hard time distinguishing what the hell any one of them in particular was attempting to play.

Amidst the throngs of tourists in various stages of undress were vendors selling everything from food, to condoms. It was from one of these vendors that Roy purchased – at Edward's adamant instance – two frozen yogurts from a stand that churned on-site. He wasn't risking Edward getting sick from the vanilla cone he handed the blond.

He himself started licking on his chocolate one as he laughingly followed after Edward who was avidly bopping around through the crowd. For being so suspicious of humans, he could tell that the selkie did truly enjoy things like this, and he realized that Edward probably was enjoying it even more now. Now that he knew he was safe. Roy would skewer his frozen yogurt into the eye of anyone who dared touch Edward.

"There's so many people." Edward observed in awe as he was guided by Roy around the edge of a more bouncy group of women who seemed to be chanting something about Jell-O shots. And Roy, having been to college, wasn't about to stick around and let Edward be dragged into it.

"Big population boom." Roy explained a bit loudly to be heard over the cheers of 'on his nipple!'. "You see, people got a bit more creative about sex, and suddenly it was being done a lot more often."

Edward snorted, but found himself laughing. "More like you lot don't wait for marriage anymore for fear of it being a bastard child."

"Well, there is that." Roy laughed as well in agreement.

So they continued to mill through the crowd, remarking to each other in hushed voices about the people they were passing while licking on their frozen yogurts. Several times Edward was pushed into laughter so hard that Roy had to steady the blond, lest he tumble over. Which only served to make them laugh more… especially when they were given odd looks by the drunks.

"So you like to just wander around at stuff like this?" Roy asked during a slight lull in the normal festivities, the entertainment now being that of a parade that again, reminded him very much of Marti Gras with the floats, street performers, and general disarray of craziness that made everyone involved seem like they'd had one too many shots of absinthe.

They were now huddled together to watch the parade, up on a four foot high brick wall that encompassed a small garden in front of the bank. Roy had had to lift Edward up, but now they were ensconced together under the hibiscus that had been strung with softly glowing lights.

"I'm not much of a party person as some humans can be." Edward smiled as he chipped away at his cone with his fingers, knowing it'd make him sick to eat it. Plus he'd hate to ruin the smooth taste of vanilla still in his mouth. "But I do like watching. It's fun for me just to be around it. And it's been so long since I felt comfortable enough for it."

Roy allowed himself a quick glance down to Edward's pulled up legs, knowing the selkie was even now protecting his sealskin by not letting his legs dangle. "I'll agree that we can be amusing." And he looked back at the floats, now being preceded by percussion bands. "And I'm glad you can see stuff like this again."

Edward nodded absently with a small smile, feeling very much relaxed up here with Roy. Being apart from everyone else, looking down on at all, surrounded by the soft twinkling glow of the lights. "I'm just glad to be here with you." He replied softly.

Roy looked down, meeting the warm golden eyes as they were turned up to meet his. And raising his hand, he cupped Edward's cheek tenderly. "There's not anywhere else I'd rather be."

A slow breath slipped past his lips as Edward relaxed into Roy's touch. "No… right here is nice."

Neither of them could guess how long they stayed like that, transfixed in the other's gaze. But after a time the parade did end, and the abrupt absence in music jolted them back to everything else. And clearing his throat to try and sort himself back out, Roy hopped down from where they'd been sitting before holding up a hand in order to help Edward down.

Edward was smiling as he steadied himself with a hand on Roy's shoulder, but he made no move to let go as he stood there gazing up at the man, and Roy was making no move to release him. And for a moment all he could do was remember to breathe as Roy's other hand came up to tangle in his hair. It was all he could do not to stumble forward as his sense of balance fairly shattered, and he closed his eyes with a shaky breath. "Please… Roy…"

Roy closed his eyes as well, but with the flash of sadness he was trying to repress. And suddenly he opened his eyes again as he raised his head the traitorous inches it had fallen towards Edward's, trying to ignore the pain he knew was his fault. "We should be going. It's really late." He said with forced cheer, drawing away fully to turn around and begin to lead the way.

Edward's eyes flashed open wide at both Roy's words, and the sudden absence of the man. An emotion he couldn't recognize flashed through him, not quite unlike fear, but so different even so. "Roy, I – ! Wait!" And he dashed after the man to catch Roy's hand in his with a pounding heart. "Roy, _please_, wait."

Roy sighed, and shook his head. "I don't trust myself right now, Edward. Not to stand here with you right now and not... I need a hell of a long walk, so come along."

Edward actually found himself stopping, Roy's hand slipping from his as he watched the man continue to walk away, before suddenly he raced after him as his heart raced just as swiftly. Even if Roy didn't trust himself… he trusted Roy, and he knew now, he knew this was what he wanted.

Roy was everything he wanted.

So he raced after him down the beach, not knowing when they'd left the town so far behind.

"I don't care if you don't trust yourself!" He blurted out before he lost his courage as he came upon the man once more, stumbling slightly to a halt just behind Roy as the man abruptly turned to face him. "Not anymore." He continued ardently through little pants to catch his breath, his searching eyes never leaving Roy's. "Whatever it is you don't want to do to me…" he whispered now as he tentatively closed the space between them, "just wait." And placing his hands on Roy's chest, he leaned in with a quivering breath to brush his lips against Roy's. "Please, Roy."

Roy closed his eyes with an unsteady breath, his lips still tingling from that briefest touch, heat still coiling through him. And his breathing hitched as Edward began to brush those same kisses along his jaw. "Edward…" he whispered in a voice roughened in swiftly growing desire. "This is your last chance…"

Edward pulled away only enough to look up at Roy's still-closed eyes. "Good." And not awaiting a reply, dove in to claim Roy's lips in a true kiss.

It took not even a second for his restraint to snap, and all at once Roy seized Edward sharply to him. And when Edward parted his lips before his assault with a startled, sinful moan, it raised a possessiveness in him that he'd never encountered before.

This beautiful creature was his. Wanted him. Who was he to deny them any longer?

And with that thought in mind, the kiss deepened with a desperate roughness that made Edward whimper in shameless approval, and made Roy clutch him closer to leave no semblance of air between them as he plundered Edward's willing mouth.

Edward was the first to break away from the dizzying kiss with a gasp, though by Roy's answering gasp he needed proper amounts of air too. And he rested their foreheads together as he gasped in steadying air; only to be driven nearly delirious with pleasure when Roy's hands began a claiming path down his body, his body trembling with desire wherever those hands went. Yes, this was what he wanted. He wanted Roy to have him, and he groaned shakily before with a sudden need he began to kiss along Roy's neck, dropping little nips along the way that had Roy's breath catching.

Roy was more than happy to lose himself in the insanity inducing pleasure, the elated shock that this was real, and had nearly done so when a coy, teasing tug at the waistband of his pants brought him abruptly back down to earth with a feral growl that he was pleased to feel made Edward shiver, but not pause in his kissing. "Wanting something?" He purred, tipping his head down to lick at the outer ridge of Edward's ear.

Edward nipped Roy harder than before, pleased at the groan he received. Or perhaps it had been because of the way his hands had begun fiddling with untucking Roy's shirt and dancing over the clasp of Roy's jeans. Either way, his darkened eyes were glittering in mischief and desire as he looked up at his human. "Not just something, Roy," he corrected breathlessly. "I want _all_ of you. _Everything_."

"So demanding." Roy accused agreeably as he caught Edward's hands in his, dark eyes boring into gold. "Come with me, this'll be less abrasive on a bed."

Edward groaned his approval, and caught the kiss Roy leaned down to give him with a hum of delight, licking at the man's lips when he withdrew before chasing after them to catch them in another kiss that quickly deepened until he pulled away for a gasp of breath as he gazed up at Roy. And for a moment, they stayed that way, panting softly for breath, until suddenly Roy was leading them to the cottage.

Neither could be sure exactly how they got there, much less got to the bedroom. The entire way had been spent with stumbling kisses and touches as they moved along, before at last Roy tumbled them both onto the bed.

**X**

It was late the next morning when at last the sated and entangled pair began to crawl out of the depths of sleep. And Roy awoke fully when he felt Edward arch and stretch against him with one of those little trills that he knew so well. Giving his own luxurious stretch he settled his arms a bit better around the body that immediately repositioned itself as being draped over his.

"How are you feeling?" Roy asked gently as he began to lightly stroke his fingers down the curve of Edward's back.

Edward relaxed under the touch, feeling almost like he was being given a massage after the vigorous activities of their night. And he smiled to himself with a faint blush as he recalled it. "Blissful." He admitted as he began to slowly run his fingers in patterns against Roy's chest. "It's never been like that for me."

Roy was more than a little pleased, and felt that protectiveness for his beautiful selkie flare up again. He'd do all he could to make sure it remained that way for Edward, keep him out of the clutches of any other humans. "Nor me." He admitted softly in return.

Edward slowly eased himself up on his elbow to look down at his chosen in still-sleepy puzzlement, "no?"

Roy did not still his attentions to the blond, only added to them as the arm that had remained to anchor Edward to him now shifted to bury itself in the locks of blond hair slipping over Edward's shoulders. "I've never been in love like this before."

Edward felt his breath stall at the words. His pulse quickening. They were the words he'd always known, somehow… deep down. He'd known it for truth in the times Roy had looked at him, the hidden words behind those spoken, and the tender touches.

A less-sure man might have been worried by the silence that met his declaration, but Roy knew Edward too well to mistake the look on that face as anything but stunned elation. And he smiled as he lifted his head to brush his lips against Edward's in a loving kiss. "I never planned to tell you…" he continued softly as he eased his head back down to the pillow, "but you changed everything last night."

Edward drew in an unsteady breath as a smile began to worm its way onto his lips. And feeling a burst of warm compassion for this man, he swooped down to return the kiss in kind. "I love you, Roy. I don't want to be without you anymore, not like we were." He whispered earnestly, burying his face down against one of Roy's shoulders. "Damn it, _I don't want to be without you_!"

Roy sensed the distress in Edward, and with a flash of compassion for his lover, he drew him tightly against his body once more. "You won't be. I'm yours, until the day I die. I always have been."

"Even my fear of losing you one day to death wasn't enough anymore." Edward replied quietly, voice fraught with emotion. "I'd rather love you now, then go through the rest of my life never knowing what it would have been like. Regretting."

"Don't regret." Roy whispered as he tipped his head to press a kiss to Edward's hair. "I'm scared too, you know. To one day not know if the future will bring me another day by your side. So at the very least, we can be scared together… so long as we use that fear to make the most of each day we do have."

A slow, long breath escaped him, and Edward shifted so that his head was nestled under Roy's chin. "I love you… even if you do make me feel as emotional as a vapid female."

Roy chuckled at that, closing his eyes peacefully. "You're no female. And as far as I'm concerned, so long as you share this side with only me, I'm happy."

Edward found himself smiling as he snuggled impossibly closer against Roy's warm body. "There could only ever be you. I'm two hundred and thirty-six, I should know there's only you."

"Which officially makes you the oldest…" Roy stumbled for the correct word, neither person nor selkie seeming appropriate, "individual," he settled on abruptly, "I've ever slept with."

"Oh," Edward tutted as he raised his head with a devious smile, "I think we did more than sleep last night. I think I recall you uttering a few choice phrases and noises that had nothing to do with sleep."

Roy smirked, "I don't know, I can have some fairly vivid wet dreams." And at Edward's glare, grinned. "Remind me otherwise?"

Edward knew an invitation when he heard one, and with a matching grin, pounced in acceptance.

It was creeping well into the afternoon before the pair finally convinced themselves to get out of bed, the pains of hunger and other needs no longer willing to be so spectacularly ignored. But that didn't stop them from stealing kisses and touches the entire way to the shower, where the water was not the only thing they heated up.

Once they were both dressed – unfortunately in their minds, but necessary for the remaining part of the day – Edward lounged against the bathroom counter as he watched Roy mess with a long, bristled stick of plastic, and a plastic tube that he was squirting something blue out of.

"What's that?" He finally couldn't help but ask as Roy made to lift the blue gel-like substance on the bristled stick up to his mouth. "That looks thicker than lube."

Roy cracked a grin and a short chuckle before shaking his head. "It's not lube. It's toothpaste."

"And what is toothpaste?" Edward asked him promptly, intent on this new item.

"It's…" Roy tilted his head, "I'd have you try it, but I think the flavor residue would upset your stomach. Basically it cleans teeth, and freshens breath."

Edward blinked, that was certainly an interesting idea, and then he frowned. "Do I need these things to take care of my human form?"

Roy smiled, leaning over to kiss Edward chastely. "I explored your mouth thoroughly last night, and this morning. I do not find anything amiss or disagreeable. Oddly enough, you taste like vanilla constantly. I'd thought it was just that ice cream at first. So no, my sandy little angel, you do not need these things. Not that I can tell."

Edward blinked owlishly, not exactly understanding… but it made Roy smile and laugh, so he was happy. And he watched with keen interest as Roy turned the blue gel into a white foamy lather. The things humans came up with…

But he hadn't noticed anything amiss with Roy either, but he stayed quiet about that, letting the human go about his routine.

"Do you realize this is the longest I've ever been out of water?" Edward asked when he was following Roy out towards the kitchen.

Roy looked over at him, a bit prideful in the way he looked at his sandy little angel. "We can go swimming some, there's still time. Unless you'd rather I set us up on a few blankets on the patio deck with cold water and food."

Edward smiled, "that… we can go down to the water here once the tourists have all gone."

Which was how they ended up an hour later in a nest of blankets that Roy had constructed for them in the shade of the slight awning over the deck; pillows against the wall for them to lean into, and an assortment of chilled water, beer, and various foodstuffs for them both.

Currently, Edward was gleefully munching on a long stick of pineapple, having already delighted that Roy had remembered.

Roy was just content to hold the blond to him as they relaxed and talked quietly, a beer in one hand, the other resting possessively against Edward's abdomen. "The others won't worry about you, right?"

Edward blushed mid-bite, and quickly finished it before he dared answer, no longer worried he'd choke. "It's not the first time I've stayed away from the pod through the night. And on the off chance they do wonder… my mom probably has already guessed what happened and will subdue their concerns."

"I'd like to meet your mother one day." Roy voiced as he continued to think about it, the idea seeming ever-better to him. "I have something to thank her for, and it's just plain nice to meet the family if they're lurking nearby."

Tipping his head back and around, Edward gazed at Roy searchingly. "Tomorrow, if you like, I'll go get her and bring her here. I think she'd like to meet you as well."

"I'll have clothes waiting for you both, then." Roy smiled, for once, not worried about meeting a parent of someone he was dating. Both for that he knew it was something far more serious than 'dating' between them, and that he suspected Edward's mother was probably the last parent who could ever be anything less than gracious.

"And no beach balls." Edward glowered at him.

Roy snickered, but found himself nodding in agreement. "Okay. Besides, I got rather jealous imagining you rubbing all over me instead of that beach ball… although preferably in a human form. No offense, but the other way just, I still can't quite get my mind around it _not_ being bestiality."

Edward snorted, but was hardly offended at all. "It's not, but I understand." And then a coy smile began to creep onto his face as he gave an indulgent full-body stretch against Roy, pressing himself against the man; sliding, arching, giving a satisfied groan as he felt Roy tense, heard his breath catch. "Rubbing all over you feels better like this anyway."

Roy nearly swore as he tried to muster enough control not to say the hell with it, and pin Edward beneath him right here in front of possible tourist eyes. "Edward… I've not even finished one beer yet."

Edward grinned as he arched again, seductively reaching his hands out, one falling to rest on Roy's upper thigh. "You've eaten, right?"

Roy suddenly gave a feral growl as that teasing hand crept higher, and reaching out swiftly he caught the torturous hand in his own, his other now going to Edward's hips as his feet nudged the blankets higher. "Slide down a bit." He purred into Edward's ear, not bothering to try and withhold his groan as the minx of a selkie did so against his body.

Edward stopped when he felt Roy's hand on his hip squeeze, and when Roy suddenly released his hand, he grasped the blankets with a racing heart and a stifled gasp as that hand began to slowly, but confidently, unclasp his pants. "Roy, there are people –!"

"And we're on private property." Roy replied as Edward's breath became more hurried, anticipatory. "Mine."

And Edward knew in that instant, as he arched into Roy with a strangled groan, that Roy hadn't been talking just about the cottage and the sand around it.

He couldn't say he disagreed with the doubled claim.

Afterwards, as they lay there catching their breath, Roy was pleased to note to Edward that they'd not been discovered at all – earning himself a sharp elbow to his ribs, not that he minded as they both began to quietly laugh.

"You made a mess of our clothes." Edward scolded after they had succeeded in catching their breath and mostly dampening their laughter.

Roy chuckled again, but not for long as he placed a kiss against Edward's neck, before biting him playfully. "We'll go swimming soon… and then a shower will take care of the rest before I attempt to lure you to my bed again."

Edward smiled blissfully, "it won't take much effort. Fuck knows how I managed to stay away this long… I guess I'm damn stubborn when I'm scared."

"Doesn't matter now." Roy replied, running his fingers through Edward's hair. "We're together, that's what counts."

They continued to half-lay there in each other's arms, ensconced in the padded comfort of the blankets and pillows around them, watching the sea and those tourists still around it. Dusk was rapidly approaching by now, a day quickly gone in a testament to their long night. But neither of them could find it in themselves to mind, it had been worth it, every moment.

They waited a good five minutes after the last person had vanished from view, intent on taking their activities elsewhere once again for the night. Only then did they rouse themselves from their contented laziness to head down onto the sand, and shortly thereafter, the water.

"Is there any chance that any of the others will come here with you and your mother tomorrow?" Roy asked as he waded into the surf.

Edward splashed in with less grace, going in until it reached his chest and with a large grin. He loved the water, and he'd been away from it for far longer than was normal for him. "I don't plan to ask her to come with me to meet you in their presence. Some might want to if I did, but honestly," he rubbed at the back of his neck with an apologetic grin at Roy, "I'm feeling a bit possessive?"

"Well, you won't find me upset about that." Roy smiled at him reassuringly. "So long as I have you, and can meet your mother, that's more than I ever thought I'd have. All I could ever want."

Edward nodded slowly, happily. And with a smile beginning to tug on his mouth he crossed through the water to raise his hands to Roy's face with a thoughtful look. "Then remember this for me," he spoke firmly, but quietly under the gentle noise of the waves, "never shed tears where the ocean can find them. All a selkie needs is seven to be called to your side… and I am a possessive selkie."

Roy knew well that he'd remember… he knew how Edward viewed such acts, and that awareness changed the facts of the legend all too well. "I would never want to call anyone but you to my side, though never in such a manner."

Edward breathed out in relief, before raising up onto his feet to kiss the corner of Roy's mouth lovingly. "You have me willingly anyway."

Roy didn't reply but to lower his head to catch Edward's lips in a proper kiss. And gathering the blond to him as he felt Edward's hands begin to slide up his chest or into his hair, he could hardly object when Edward deepened their kiss with a needy whine.

So involved they were in their kiss, that neither of them was ready for the rogue wave that crashed at sudden around them, toppling them both into the water.

Yet they surfaced with gasps and laughter as they struggled to get back on their feet, helping each other as they went.

"How could _you_, out of anyone," Roy began laughingly as he pushed his sopping hair out of his face, "_not_ sense that wave coming?"

Edward attempted a half-hearted scowl, but failed miserably. "I was a bit involved with your tongue down my throat." He pointed out helpfully through a fit of laughter. "You may recall."

"You didn't seem too put out by it." Roy grinned back wickedly.

Edward rolled his eyes, but with mischief entering his eyes, he decided quickly on retribution. And without even giving Roy time to register the fact that maybe he should run for it, he dove to tackle the man back into the water.

They tipped back with a splash and a startled curse from Roy's end.

And as soon as they surfaced for air, Roy made sure that Ed got at least one quick pant of air before he dunked the terror of a selkie back under. Edward resurfacing only to splash Roy thoroughly. And not that their following water fight did anything to help how soaked they'd gotten, it was still enjoyable.

The battle stopped only when they splashed out of the water too tired to continue, and their laughter too great to make it easy to run through the surf with much effectiveness anymore. And Edward couldn't help but trill happily when he felt Roy's arms come around him from behind to hold him close as they stood there watering the sand and catching their breath.

"I never did mind your little noises," Roy said, beginning to lick along the salty wet lines on Edward's neck, "but now they just make me want to give you even more to really purr about."

"I noticed last night." Edward grinned, relaxing into Roy's grip and tipping his head aside to allow Roy the room the man was nudging him for. "Every time I lapsed you'd _really_ put your back into it."

Roy sniggered, continuing to lick his little trails. "That and when you'd scream my name and beg me for more… of various natures. Which was fairly often. You're a vocal one."

Edward was fairly sure he blushed down to his toes. "I noticed you didn't mind it." He grinned in response.

"I think that bears more investigation." Roy drawled thoughtfully as his hands began to move down towards Edward's hips.

Edward couldn't help but laugh in agreement, and twisting so that he could see the man, he grinned invitingly. "I think you just like to hear yourself talk." He taunted without fear.

Roy bit a little harder than normal on the impertinent blond's neck, "the ability to talk will be escaping _you_ shortly." And without further pause, he grabbed Edward up into his arms as the selkie squeaked indignantly, to bear them off to his cottage.

**X**

The next morning Edward awoke to a drugging, pleasant sensation that nearly sent him spiraling back to sleep. Stretching languidly a contented sigh slipped from his lips as tipped his head so he was facing down on the bed, allowing Roy extra room.

Room that Roy took with a knowing chuckle as he moved the brush obligingly to begin carefully easing the knots from the blond tresses, before smoothing the hairs with more indulgent strokes that he could visibly see were causing Edward's entire body to relax without an ounce of tension. And reaching up to gently run his fingers through the other section, he cocked his head so that he could smile down at the small portion of Edward's face that remained visible out of the pillows. "I think I'm making you an addict."

Edward fairly purred with happiness as he tried to focus every bit of attention on that brush and those fingers stroking through his hair. But he still had enough to spare his lover as he smiled into the pillow, answering in a muffled, "don't care… feels nice."

Roy chuckled, unable to help but think it felt more than nice if the way Edward was melting into each brushstroke was any indication. But he said nothing to it, only continuing his attentions. He was fairly certain now, more than he had been before he'd begun this, that Edward had never had anyone actually brush his hair before. "Then I won't deny you," he replied back. And leaning down to place a kiss to the soft hair that smelled so sinfully of his own shampoo, he never once paused in his brushing, only whispered, "but you have only about half an hour before the beach will start to become busy as normal. It's still fairly quiet out there right now."

Edward absorbed the information with a spark of disappointment, but gave a small nod as Roy's ministrations never ceased. "I'll leave soon then…" and he groaned as the brush passed over a particularly lovely spot, "but not yet."

Roy chuckled, and moved the brush over the same spot again, this time with a different pressure to watch as Edward fairly pressed up into it. "Like a cat." He murmured to himself with a smile, before saying louder, "okay. Let me at least finish brushing."

The disagreement he never expected never came, and with his smile still in place, Roy continued to brush through Edward's hair until it all lay smooth and shining gold. And then as well for some time afterwards until he believed he'd found every single spot that made Edward arch up into the touch before relaxing back down into an even more lifeless mass.

When the brush was finally laid aside, Edward was reluctant to have had Roy do so, but knew he needed to set out before the beach became too busy to get not one, but two selkies up onto it without raising suspicion. And turning, feeling a pleasant hum still in every inch of his body, he smiled at Roy. "Thank you."

Roy chuckled, leaning in to catch Edward's lips in a kiss. "You're welcome. And yes, I know what you want, I'll do that again sometime."

Edward grinned at him shyly, "I guess I was pretty obvious."

"Mmm…" Roy hummed as he considered his blond lover, "I was rather banking on that reaction."

Edward gave a short laugh, before sighing and working on disentangling himself from the covers. "I guess I'll be back shortly then."

Roy watched as Edward won out over the covers of the bed, and moved with the blond to get up out of it. "Will you be hungry when you get back? Or are you planning to do some hunting on your way?"

Edward smiled, and stepped over to Roy to quickly kiss him on his neck. "Not sure. But I'll let you know if I get hungry. I do more often since we've started being intimate."

Roy grinned rakishly at him, and as Edward made to turn to head out for the main room, swatted the blond's naked rump, smirking as the selkie squeaked in surprise. "Well if you don't want anyone else out there trying to be intimate with you, I'd get some pants on at least."

Edward glared at him through a smile as he rubbed at his arse. "You wouldn't save me?"

"Naturally." Roy assured him, and reached out to catch Edward's chin. "But that doesn't mean I want them looking, or thinking they can touch what's mine."

Edward's glare faded as he just smiled at his human. "I'll always be yours. Don't worry." And coming forward to wrap his arms around Roy in a quick embrace he angled his head so he could kiss Roy's neck again. "I love you, I'll be back soon."

Roy nodded, and watched as Edward found his swim trunks and danced into them before heading out to the main room. He followed, having already gotten dressed, and walked with Edward down to the beach still mostly empty of others.

"I'll go find one of my robes for your mother." Roy told Edward as they walked down to the surf, to a point where if Edward went in, he could shapeshift in relative concealment behind a rather large rock. "I don't really have women's clothing."

Edward snickered, grinning up in amusement at him. "You're not a fan of wearing dresses, my Roy?"

"Your Roy is not." Roy agreed solemnly, and as Edward splashed down into the water, called out. "Be safe out there."

Edward smiled back at him, "I will."

And Roy could only watch as Edward splashed in deeper, until he was able to be concealed by surf and that large rock, and suddenly the blond was gone. But he only stepped up to catch the swim trunks as they floated in on the waves. Figuring he had at least fifteen minutes until Edward would be back with his mother in tow, he turned to head up to the cottage to grab towels and a robe.

Meanwhile Edward swam swiftly out of the Bay. The thought of being gone too long from Roy's side wasn't one he particularly liked.

And so he darted through the water, easily making good time.

It was not long at all before he was rapidly approaching the clustering of rocks that the rest of the pod would be on or near, and as he reached them he clicked greetings to those who were in the water before surfacing with a great spray of water and puff of air.

"_Good morning, Aur_._" _His mother greeted as her son swam over to where she was sunning.

Aur had to wonder if it was entirely necessary that she sound so smug. But shaking it off, he came over to rest his front flippers on the rock she was laying on. "_Morning, mother._" He returned, not quite as smugly, and tilting his head in classic seal style, asked, "_can we talk alone again?_"

She chirped interestedly a moment, before giving a subtle nod. _"Of course."_ And without further words to it, she gamboled around where her son had just slipped off fully into the water, and slid in herself. As soon as the water cleared around her she swam off to where Aur was slowly making his way back out towards open waters.

Aur didn't explain right away as his mother came to swim beside him, quietly, patiently. He waited until they were a goodly distance away from the others before slowing and spinning in the water to face her. "_Roy would like to meet you. Will you come meet my human?_"

Whiskers twitching in a seal-smile, she trilled her amusement. "_Your human?_"

Aur ducked his head in slight embarrassment, although he felt he was getting better. It was just… admitting to your mother that you had a lover wasn't exactly the least embarrassing situation one could throw themselves into. "_I think you've already guessed as to where I've been. I love Roy… and now he knows it._"

"_I would very much like to meet your Roy."_ She reassured him with a flare of motherly pride that her son had found someone… and been brave enough to allow himself to find it with a human despite his fears. _"If he can win you, I am sure he is a man worth meeting."_

Aur brightened at that, only able to agree. Roy was very special to him, and a very rare sort of human, the kind of which he'd never met before. So without any more pause, he turned to begin swimming for the Bay again, his mother close on his tail.

It took them only about five minutes longer to reach it.

Roy was waiting in the shallows where Edward had disappeared, his arms laden down with towels, Edward's swim trunks, and a robe. He had a feeling that Edward would insist on a shower… together… before he dressed in anything clean of saltwater.

He was just beginning to wonder where the heck Edward was, when not one, but two seal heads popped up out of the water to blink at him. He didn't even have to wonder which one was which, and he tossed Edward's swim trunks down to the golden eyed selkie before looking at the other and meaningfully holding out a large towel and the robe. "For you." And he set them up on a small ledge of the rock before turning to give Edward's mother some privacy.

He'd at least seen Edward naked more than once.

And splashing up out of the water, he was soon joined by Edward to whom he gave the other towel with a smile. "Nice swim?"

"Brisk." Edward grinned at him as he began fluffing dry his hair with the towel. "You've really got to go swipe some scuba gear from somewhere so I can drag you along."

Roy chuckled indulgently as he leaned down to steal a kiss from willing lips. "Don't worry, I'll work on doing just that."

Edward smiled up at him happily, and whatever he was about to say in reply was forgotten as the sound of more splashing reached their ears.

"I was right, kissing him does make you happy."

Edward blushed scarlet as he turned to glare at his mother. "Mom!" He protested in true son-fashion.

Roy turned as well, eyes landing on who he could only assume was Edward's mother. She was as old as he had expected, eight centuries give or take a few years roughly translated into her looking about eighty as a human. And yet, she still looked full of life. Her hair hadn't even gone fully grey yet. Instead it was a rich chocolate brown with long sections of grey that didn't seem too out of place. And her eyes were a vibrant green that sparkled with amusement and life. She seemed weathered, but not old.

"It really is nice to finally meet you," he said, offering out a hand, "I'm Roy Mustang."

Looking down, she smiled and took the offered hand before looking back up at the human. "Trisha." She replied with an ever-growing smile. "I'm happy to finally meet the man my son has told me so much about."

Roy lifted an eyebrow as he glanced at Edward who was not only still an enticing shade of red, but smiling up at him shyly. "Has he now?" But he left that where it was as he turned back to Trisha. "I owe you thanks, by the way, for sending him back to me. He wasn't the only one going crazy not being able to see each other…"

Trisha nodded, looking between them with a warm smile. "I'm glad that I did."

Edward turned to wrap his arms around Roy, unashamed to be seen conning an embrace out of his lover in front of his mother. "Now I just go crazy when I can't see you for five minutes."

"Needy much?" Roy teased, laughing as Edward smacked him sideways across the head.

"Shut it." Edward growled, but didn't move from the cocoon of Roy's arms.

Trisha could only look between them and grin. The easy relationship they seemed to have only appeared to add more to the love she could see between them. It didn't take an observant individual to see that they were completely and fully enchanted with each other.

…so much like it had been with her own love.

"So Roy," she began with a wicked smile as she walked closer towards them, "you must tell me all about yourself."

Roy dropped a quick kiss on Edward's hair before smiling over at her. "Gladly. Let's go inside though so we're not overheard."

It was agreed upon as a good idea, and the three of them began to troop up the sandy beach up to the cottage. The patio deck doors were left thrown open to coax in a breeze, and Trisha took one of the armchairs while Edward ensconced himself on the couch as Roy went to get them drinks.

As soon as the man was sat though, on the couch next to Edward, Trisha wasted no more time.

"I assume, Roy, that you must know a great deal about our kind by now?"

Roy nodded with a partial smile. "I've been educated along the way, yes ma'am. I loved Edward long before I ever guessed he wasn't human, however."

"Just call me Trisha." She grinned at him, "does it make you think of him any different?"

"Mom." Edward sighed, giving her a reproachful look. "After everything you told me you're going to interrogate him?"

Roy had expected this, the grilling of her son's lover, so he wasn't caught off guard. In fact, he found himself quite amenable to the idea. And he reached out to take Edward's hand in his, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I'd be a fool and a liar if I said it didn't." He answered her directly, before looking over to meet Edward's gaze. "I certainly gained a larger desire to protect you."

Edward smiled happily, knowing it was true. "Be fair, you did get me out of a tight spot before you had really put the pieces together."

"No one gets to harass you but me." Roy grumbled, a small smile tugging his mouth as Edward laughed.

Trisha was satisfied with the answer… and their little moment together. Before Roy, the mention of harassment by a human would have sent her son fleeing for the water. But it was easy to see that Edward didn't associate the same things with Roy. "Then tell me about yourself," she finally re-prompted, "I wish to know about the human my son has chosen as his own."

Roy looked between them both a minute before he settled a wicked, teasing gaze on Edward. "You think of me as yours? Your chosen human?"

Edward grinned up at him a bit bashfully, but nodded. "As I said, I'm a possessive selkie. I feel possessive about you."

Roy chuckled, disentangling their hands to brush his fingers against Edward's neck in a tender touch. "It's a good thing the sentiment is mutual, my sandy little angel. I'm glad that you chose me."

Edward blushed at the use of that endearment in front of his mother. "Roy!" He protested as the man grinned at him unabashedly.

"Please, son," Trisha smirked at him, "if you can go on about how possessive you are about the handsome man sitting next to you, then he can call you such sweet things."

"Mom!"

Roy laughed, and quickly, before his lover had a coronary, he stole a quick kiss from Edward's lips. And drawing away, he winked at the now silent and pleased looking blond. "The point is, love, is that I love you too."

"Anyway, do go on, Roy." Trisha prompted with an indulgent smile.

And so Roy began to recite to her his life story as he'd told it to Edward, elaborating when either of them wished it. Including in the edited versions of certain times he'd spent with Edward, although he didn't censor his reasons for calling Edward the endearment he did, mostly in order to see Edward turn that enticing shade of red again.

He did enjoy making Edward blush.

But he realized, as he went through this version of 'The Talk' with Trisha, that it really was just that: a version. He had come to realize that selkies didn't _care_ about how much money you made, what your job was, or how well-connected your family might be. They cared about what really mattered; if he was happy, who he was as a person. Just him. Roy. And his love for the blond selkie currently leaning against him as naturally as if he were born to be there by Roy's side.

That was all Trisha wanted to know. That he was genuine, and loved her son. Things that yes, she already knew from Edward. But there was something about having it affirmed for herself since she had the chance.

'The Talk' was beginning to wind down when suddenly Edward popped up from his comfortable position against Roy. "Oh! I nearly forgot." And padding over to the newly built shelf he gingerly took hold of the seashell seal novelty that Roy had purchased for him, bringing it over with a glowing smile. "Roy bought this for me. My first gift."

Trisha smirked covertly at Roy who had flushed in a pleased manner, before turning her attention to it. "It's beautiful." She admired honestly as she carefully took it into her hands and began to examine the craftsmanship.

"You couldn't take your eyes off it." Roy smiled from the couch, watching them. "Seemed reason enough to buy it. Beside the fact that I wanted something to remind me of you."

Edward smiled over at him, and as his mother passed the seashell creation back to him, said, "now you don't have to worry about never seeing me again." And taking the fragile object back to the shelf he soon turned to make his way back to the couch, and subsequently the circle of Roy's arms as he pressed up against the man's side while turning his head into Roy's neck. "Remind me when she leaves to thank you properly for my gift." He whispered for Roy's ears alone.

Roy gave a slight grin and a laugh, unable to help himself as the brat of a selkie nuzzled him with a little kiss before withdrawing to look at him with mischievous golden eyes. "I will." He promised without hesitation.

Trisha didn't dare ask, as it was she was thrilled enough to see her son acting this way. He was completely smitten with the human at his side. Never before had she thought she'd ever see her son fall in love… much less take the risk of opening himself up like that to another.

It was the fate of some of them, to become ruined by human hands. To be used. They had no choice when they were summoned, they were bound by a contract that had existed since the birth of the first selkie. And while some made the best of it, even enjoyed it, there were just as many who didn't, who'd been ruined by human hands. Her son was one such selkie… and she knew that although Edward had never mentioned abuse, her son had come back from such summons as little more than a shell. If he'd come back at all within a week following.

So the fact that Edward was now happily doing a masculine impression of cuddling with a human, was worth more than a great many things she'd been privileged to witness in her long life. "Roy…" she began, and was almost instantly graced with his attention, "you will take care of my son, won't you?"

Roy knew by the sudden change of tone in her voice that this was no throwaway version of that question. She sounded almost desperate, as if her very soul needed to be soothed that Edward would be safe with him. "I'd give my life for him."

Edward stilled in Roy's arms, his eyes falling to the floor as he choked down that statement. He didn't want to ever lose Roy. He didn't! But he knew that Roy hadn't just said that to sound impressive, Roy meant it. The man had promised to protect him, and Edward trusted that Roy would. But the thought of Roy dying because of him?

It was almost too painful a situation to bear in mind.

It was then and there, as Edward took Roy's hand firmly in his own, that he made his own promise. A silent one. And he promised himself that he'd do everything in his power to keep himself safe, so that Roy might not be put at risk.

Trisha seemed to sense the pure truth behind Roy's words as well, and a quick glance to her son only affirmed it for her. And slowly, she began to nod. "I think I'm not the only one who hopes it won't come to that."

But Roy was already looking down at Edward, and with a compassionate expression he used his free hand to tip Edward's chin up so their eyes met, keeping his voice lowered for the blond's ears alone. "I can't imagine it ever coming to that, but it's how I feel. It would destroy me if I lost you because I feared for myself."

"I won't let you die." Edward whispered in as just an impassioned voice. "Not until old age claims you. Because even when the time comes where you're too ancient to do anything but kiss me, I want that!" He whispered fiercely. "I want to be by your side as long as I can. Love you as long as I can, however I can. Try not to rob me of that."

"You'll not mind the wrinkles and grey hair and the old person smell?" Roy asked back quietly, gently, a smile playing on his face.

Edward shook his head minutely. "I just want to be with you."

Trisha watched as her son traced fingers down the side of Roy's face, the two of them clearly caught up in a tender moment just for them. And she tried to memorize in her mind the pure, unguarded love that crackled between them as if alive. Knowing as she did so that it was time for her to take her leave. She'd gotten what she'd come here for, and met Roy as her son had wanted. But now it was time to leave them alone together… for she personally knew how precious time alone was for a selkie and their lover. Especially when that lover was a human.

"Mom?" Edward questioned as he saw her rise from his peripheral vision.

Trisha smiled at them as the pair turned to her. "It's time I take my leave for now." And she looked at Roy with a meaningful smile. "It was wonderful meeting you."

Roy nodded, catching the words unsaid, and turned to Edward with a kiss to his forehead as he stood. "Wait here, love. She wants a word with me alone… all parents do this."

Edward nodded in understanding, smiling up at the man. "I'll just go use up more of your hot water for the shower. Hurry back?"

Roy chuckled, ruffling the blond hair affectionately as Edward glowered. "You know I will. I'll lock you in." And he did so, before escorting Trisha down the beach.

Trisha waited until they were about halfway to the wetter spit of sand before looking over at the man. "I imagine you've guessed by now that Edward hasn't had the best experiences with humans before?"

"He's told me as much." Roy answered, shoving his hands in his pockets as he blew out a heavy breath and looked up at the pale blue sky. "One of many reasons I didn't push him. I got the sense he's been deeply hurt by that summons crap before."

"You think of such a large part of our culture as crap?" Trisha asked, her facial expression leaving nothing to ascertain.

Roy turned to her with a flare of almost anger in his dark eyes. "Anything that forces someone to do something like _that_ against their will is crap. All of you… Edward… he's not some outlet. I love your son, deeply. And I damn well am going to do my best to give him some memories that not all humans wanted to use him, or hurt him."

Trisha eased into a smile at the vehement declaration, and she nodded. "Edward's father thought as you did. It takes a very rare, strong soul to truly fall in love with one of our kind. I'm glad my son has found such a soul in you. Even if you think now that all it will be are a bunch of memories, my son has never opened himself up the way he has to you. You'll never be just a memory to him, Roy Mustang. I know from experience…" she smiled sadly at the thought of her human, long dead, "I know from experience that he'll always love you as much as he does now."

"And I'll always love him." Roy replied simply, a smile on his lips. "He knows that."

Trisha nodded, accepting the reply with her own warm smile. "You're a good man. Take care of him, as I get the feeling he won't be straying from your side very soon, for very long."

Roy knew he could do nothing but, and he nodded in silent agreement as she stepped into the surf. And he was still smiling after Trisha had vanished, and he fished the robe out of the water as it floated to the surface. And turning around he trudged back up to his cottage to let himself in, and make his way into his bedroom.

She was right… Edward showed little inclination to want to leave his side. Which was just where he wanted the blond. But on land, Edward was more vulnerable. So he knew that he'd do everything in his power to keep Edward safe, take care of him.

The door to the bathroom had been left open invitingly, and the sounds of the shower made him smile. But not one to make Edward wait very long, he quickly headed in to join his selkie and indulge in a very satisfying hot shower.

The rest of the day they spent wandering about the small town, pricing out scuba gear and comparing items. But once Roy had found a simple, working apparatus, he could only grin as Edward eagerly took possession of the tank and other gear. The blond's arms were wrapped around it as if he'd never let it go… at least not until Roy needed it.

"At least let me carry the tank." Roy implored, seeing as how the equipment made Edward seem even smaller.

Edward grumbled, but relinquished claim of it. "Where to now?"

"Back home to drop this stuff off of course." Roy shifted the tank in his arms. "And I for one need some lunch. Are you hungry at all?"

Edward shook his head at the question. "Not really." He answered, and then glanced at Roy briefly as his human began to lead them home. "What did you and my mother speak about?"

Roy knew that it wasn't anything he really had a reason to keep quiet from Edward about. He didn't see how it ever could be something like that. Yet he knew he needed to phrase it tactfully. "Mostly we talked about you. That I understood you hadn't always had the best experiences with humans, the fact that I believe that summons thing is crap, and that she believes you'll always love me even when I'm gone. That I won't be just a memory to you."

Edward smiled faintly at the last, and he gave a quiet sigh. Nothing he hadn't expected then. "You never could be just a memory. Being with you has been the greatest thing I have ever experienced. Ever. And I love you. I love you very much."

Roy never doubted it, not once. He could never doubt that Edward loved him. The selkie had been so genuinely guarded and scared to fall in love with a human, that he knew there was no mistaking that Edward had held out as long as he could. He wasn't sure what it was that had been the final straw between them, but he was glad it had fallen.

They carried the equipment back to the cottage, and piled it onto the deck for later. Roy at least needed some food before they did anything else for the day, and as his human tended to that, Edward found the _Sherlock Holmes_ once again and curled up into a corner of the couch to resume where he'd left off.

Before long Roy's lunch was cooked, and he joined Edward on the couch. Shifting around so that he was comfortably leaning up against Edward's side he glanced at the pages with a smile. It was one of his favorites too, a rare first edition. He'd found it hidden in a secondhand book shop in Manhattan one year, paying only twelve dollars for a book that was worth thousands.

Roy finally could hold back no longer. "Can I ask where you learned to read? I just don't foresee selkies going to human schools."

"My mother taught me." Edward began, flipping a page. "It's rare for a selkie to know how to read. We aren't generally born into an environment where it's necessary, or ever will become so. But my father apparently taught my mother who was curious, and so she taught me. I have difficulty writing, I expect even more so now that I've really not tried in over a hundred years, but I can read."

Roy smiled at the realization that he wouldn't have anything Edward would be accustomed to writing with anyway. They had used feathered quills and inkwells back at the time of Edward's birth. "Are there such things as mermaids?" He asked at random.

"Why? Thinking of leaving me for one?" Edward asked with a wicked smirk.

"I would never!" Roy burst out indignantly, huffing as he took another large bite of his meal.

Edward smiled over at him, leaning in to kiss the corner of Roy's mouth. "I know you wouldn't. But yes, there are mermaids. They're not often very sociable towards selkies though, so I tend to avoid them. Something about us being able to appear in a full animal or human form one way or another. It's a jealousy thing."

Roy smiled, pacified, as Edward went back to reading. Turning his attention back to his meal, he continued to eat as he considered that the world was probably far larger than he could ever imagine. He'd probably never be able to ask Edward all of the potential questions of what else existed. What else wasn't myth or legend.

As it was, he was content with just knowing Edward existed.

Long after Roy had finished eating, they stayed curled up together on the couch, Edward reading as Roy browsed the book over the blond's shoulder in between letting his thoughts drift to other things. But they never strayed far from the selkie at his side.

About an hour later, Edward closed the book, having reached the end of his current chapter. "What sort of books do you edit? Are they books like this?" He asked, his fingers brushing over the cover.

Roy took the book in hand, turning it this way and that before setting it back in Edward's waiting hands. "Never anything of this quality. Each century has their great writers that can never be duplicated or matched again. Conan Doyle was one of them. As for this century… no, I've never edited for a book I thought was worthy of going down as a classic. Mostly they're mystery or thriller genre, some science fiction, and when my boss is feeling particularly evil, he'll have me edit erotica novels."

Edward wasn't sure what exactly that was, but he could tell by the look on Roy's face that this was in fact an evil deed. "What exactly are those?"

"Mostly for women, and mostly _by_ women, containing detailed sexual acts within the story." Roy informed him, rolling his eyes.

"You do not like reading about detailed sexual acts?" Edward blinked at him curiously.

Roy chuckled, shifting to face his lover, running his thumb over Edward's lower lip. "I much prefer detailed sexual acts to be reality, not fiction."

Edward's tongue darted out to lick enticingly at Roy's thumb, "was any of it inspiring enough to linger?"

Roy laughed again, unable to help himself as he grinned wickedly at the blond who had bypassed the thumb and had now taken to sucking fingers one by one into his mouth while giving him a demure look from under half-lidded golden eyes. "Not particularly. But that doesn't mean I don't have a few ideas of my own."

"Care to share?" Edward asked upon releasing Roy's captive finger from his mouth, licking his lips while tilting his head in question.

"Not just yet." Roy smirked evilly at the look on Edward's face. "I don't have any of the books I edit with me now… I'm on vacation after all, and I'd been caught up. But trust me, they're nothing that won't end up on the clearance rack a year later."

Edward prided himself on having waited for Roy to finish speaking, but after that was an entirely different story as he shoved the man back down onto the couch to climb on top of him and stifle Roy's laughter with a grin and a kiss.

They had Roy's own ideas to explore, and the priceless copy of _Sherlock Holmes_ thudded to the floor forgotten.

It was nearing dusk at the time that Edward padded cheerfully after Roy out onto the deck. He had a glass of cold tea in his hands, something that Roy had brewed from plain tea leaves and chilled for him.

"So tomorrow, early, do you want to head out?" Roy asked as he inspected the scuba gear. The tank would have enough air to give him at most two hours, provided he limited any speaking. It was more than they had before.

Edward nodded eagerly as he settled down on the deck, "just no beach ball." He admonished through narrowed eyes.

Roy snickered to himself, taking a hearty swig from the beer bottle in one hand. "You're welcome to inspect all things put into the dinghy before we head out." He promised. "We'll turn in early tonight then."

Edward nodded, knowing it would be worth it.

"How's your tea, by the way?" Roy asked with a smile, sitting down on the deck with his back up against one of the support poles of the railing, facing towards Edward.

"Really cold!" Edward smiled in happiness, running a finger down the condensation before taking another long sip. "I like it. I've never had tea cold before. It was always hot whenever I drank it before."

"I thought you'd prefer it to be cold." Roy explained needlessly. Yet that brought something to mind that he hadn't considered before, and he began to slowly frown. "How is it you can tolerate alcohol? Those frozen daiquiris aren't exactly non-alcoholic drinks. I would think alcohol would be too processed for you."

Edward shrugged as he met Roy's eyes. "I'm not sure, honestly. I've tried other alcohol before, it wasn't a pretty sight. Other selkies have had the same results. Something about how they're made must just sit well with us." And then his eyes lit up brightly. "But they're so cold! And so good. We just love frozen daiquiris!"

That settled it, Roy was getting the needed ingredients and a damn good blender.

Together they sat out on the deck, making sure the scuba gear was all prepared for tomorrow before they lugged it inside for safe keeping. Only then did Edward grab the beer out of Roy's hand and drag his willing human down the beach and shortly thereafter, the water.

It didn't matter to them that all the stragglers of other human life hadn't yet left, they still splashed in.

Even in a human form, Edward still had the playful desires of a seal, and by the time the two of them finally decided it was time to turn in and get some sleep before their early morning, they were both liberally soaked, panting for breath, and in need of a joint shower.

**X**

The next morning they headed out well before dawn. The dinghy was loaded down heavier than normal with the scuba equipment and a day's worth of food, water, and beer. And well before the morning tide would cease to come in so strongly, they set out.

Edward had to do a great deal of the work, hauling the dinghy and Roy, who was rowing as much as he could, out past where the current was the strongest. But he didn't mind, he had enough strength for it. He had two hundred and thirty-six years worth of time spent developing sleek seal muscle tone, and he was not above putting it to use. Not when he knew that Roy was rowing just as hard.

They reached the small spit of land that barely even qualified to be called land, just as the sun was rising. And Roy rowed the rest of the way in on his own, having left Edward's swim trunks in the water for him when he felt the line go slack.

He was just hauling the dinghy up fully out of the water when the selkie splashed out looking a bit weary, but cheerful all the same.

"Breakfast?" Edward asked hopefully with a little laugh as he stooped to grab the mooring line out of the water and begin bringing it in so that they could secure the tiny boat.

Roy grinned, and gave another last heave to wedge the dinghy firmly in the sand. "I think we earned some breakfast." He agreed, and as Edward went to tie off the boat, he went in search of the cooler.

Not long later they were sprawled out together on one of the large blankets that Roy had brought along and placed under one of the scrawny trees, plates of food in their laps and water and beer respectively plunged into the sand.

"So we've got about an hour of breathing time for me." Roy began as he poked another hard-boiled egg onto his fork. "I'm guessing you know the best time to go down and use it up?"

Edward nodded, quickly chewing his bite of apple before answering. "A few more hours yet. I want it to be bright enough for you to be able to see properly. The sun will be in the right position around then."

"Speaking of positions…" Roy laughed, unable to help himself.

Edward blushed, reflexively smacking his human's shoulder. "Incorrigible."

"As if you mind." Roy grinned, tilting his head to consider his lover with a softening smile. "Blushing really does look good on you."

Edward peered over at him suspiciously before he couldn't help but smile happily back. "Fortunately for me, you seem to enjoy making me blush." He observed as Roy chuckled. "Something I thought a human could never affect me into doing."

"But I'm not just any human, sandy little angel." Roy argued lightly as he reached over to tug his fingers lightly into damp blond hair as he gazed affectionately at his lover. "As you so aptly put it yesterday, I'm your human. That gives me certain seductive qualities."

Edward rolled his eyes, turning his head so that he could kiss Roy's forearm. "You seduce me just fine on your own."

Somehow they managed to at least finish their breakfast before Roy decided to see just how well he was able to seduce Edward. It turned out that it didn't take long at all, much to Edward's amusement, and they made good use of the protective covering of the blanket over the sand as they began to make fine use of the time they had left before they went for a swim.

After several hours had passed, Edward splashed into the water as he waited for Roy to deal with the scuba equipment. It took the man a few minutes, but he was just happy that he'd get to swim underwater with Roy for an hour. So he waited patiently in the surf.

Roy could only smile as when he finally entered the surf, and Edward suddenly switched to having flippers. "Just make sure you don't ditch me down there the moment you see a nice juicy fish."

Edward sneezed in answer, a seal-smile twitching at his mouth as he slapped his front flippers in his customary motions to try and get Roy to hurry. Giving a few eager barks as he drifted back into the surf to make room for Roy as the man waded in.

When Roy was finally deep in enough that the scuba gear was supporting itself in the water just fine, he reached out to wrap his arms around Edward's damp grey neck as the selkie swam around up beside him. "Just give me one second, and then a few more once we dive before you take us the entire way. I want to be sure everything's secure and working right."

Edward blinked his understanding, and waited until Roy had the mouthpiece that would provide him with oxygen securely fastened before he swam them out a bit further and then dove. It was a slower dive than he was accustomed to making, but if Roy's safety was in question, he'd dive slowly.

Roy took only a few seconds to be sure that everything still seemed fine before he tightened his arms around Edward's neck just slightly in something of an embrace before loosening back again so that he wouldn't put too much pressure on the selkie's throat.

Edward trilled in affection at his human before quickly diving down the rest of the way, already knowing that Roy would hang on, and knowing that even if he didn't, that they both knew that he wouldn't let Roy just float off. And so he took them both down; down underneath the more violent current, and down towards the sunken city that now he could share more fully with Roy.

It was a rather fascinating place for him.

For the first ten minutes, Roy was carried along on an impromptu tour of what appeared to be Edward's more favored locations that he could now share. Now that Roy no longer needed to be brought back up for air every few minutes. And Edward was clearly enjoying himself being able to show Roy things that humans hadn't seen for hundreds of years. It only served to make Roy enjoy himself more, knowing how happy his lover was.

Then it was clear that Edward had a more concise destination in mind, and with the selkie's help, Roy was able to squeeze through a partially caved in doorway of one of the larger still-standing structures. Light still managed to filter in through cracks or still intact glass windows, but not well enough for Roy to see much of anything in the murkier water that seemed to exist in this place. Yet it appeared that Edward had no problem at all in seeing, as the selkie swam back up under his arm before taking him upwards.

To Roy's surprise, suddenly the water broke away, and he was back in open air. Well, not quite so open, as a leaky domed ceiling was above them keeping the weight of the ocean out, but even so, there was air.

"Just how deep is this place that it hasn't filled all the way up already?" Roy asked after he'd removed his breathing piece.

Edward slipped from under Roy's arm in order to shapeshift into his human form. "Umm…" he frowned, looking around with a growing faint smile, "deep enough?"

Roy echoed Edward's laughter, and began stroking his way through the water after the blond who'd begun to ease off towards one side. "I assume you know where you're going and won't get us lost?"

Turning slightly in the water so he could splash the man following him, Edward rolled his eyes. "You may assume as much. I never get lost when I'm in the ocean."

"Never?" Roy chuckled, swimming up next to the blond who was treading water there with a smirk. "The ocean is a big place."

"So is your ego." Edward retorted, smirk growing. "Yet I know my way around that fairly well by now I'd say."

Roy could only swallow his indignation before he stroked after the blond who had taken off towards whatever destination he had in mind once more. And he realized soon enough what Edward was up to when the blond suddenly was getting to his feet.

He had never been more thankful than he was now that Edward switched into his human form naked.

Edward was wringing his hair out and brushing it back away from his face as he waited for Roy to haul himself up onto the ancient stone walkway as well. This entire structure had had a massive walkway wrapping around the upper level, and even after so long, most of it was still intact. The water was still always rising though, when last Edward had been here, the water, he remembered, had been a good few inches less.

"So where to, sandy little angel?" Roy asked as he got to his feet next to the dripping wet blond, more than happy to spare him a few appreciative looks as he waited for an answer.

"Over this way." Edward informed him, and catching the look he was being given, smirked before quickly dancing out of Roy's reach, the water splashing up around him. "You do realize that selkies are commonly naked?"

Roy followed after the tempting tease with a groan. "I'm trying not to remember. Just the thought of it makes me jealous that I'm not always the only one who gets to see all of you."

Edward looked back over his shoulder with a placating smile. "You're still the only one I want touching me though. You know that."

Oddly, it did help, and Roy caught up to the blond in order to catch Edward's hand in his own. "I do." And he did. He knew far too well how much Edward meant it, how long-lasting he meant it.

Roy wasn't exactly sure where exactly they were going, or how long they'd been walking for, but he trusted Edward entirely not to get them lost. Just as he knew Edward had trusted him not to get them lost on that walk through the national park that they'd taken. He only knew they'd reached their destination when Edward pranced them quickly to one doorway.

"There will be more light in here, promise."

And Roy was grateful to hear that, for the last few minutes it seemed, he had been relying on Edward's hand around his to guide him. Not that he had a problem with that, but he did want to be able to see again on his own.

True to Edward's word, soon Roy could see again on his own. A gift of still-standing windows that illuminated the grand room they found themselves in. A place with only a few inches of water, and a place filled entirely with paintings, stone sculptures, wooden carvings on raised platforms, and cast figureheads. And to Roy's further amazement, beyond the sheer expert craftsmanship of the items that bedecked this room, was the fact that it all still remained in perfect preservation.

"Just how is it possible that this place, not even this building, but this entire city can still be so well-preserved after centuries?" Roy marveled as he walked over to one of the sculptures. A magnificent marble creation of a dolphin, the lines so exactly perfect that it nearly looked alive if the light reflected off the water below hit it just right.

Edward had wandered off to peer at one of the paintings, the colors a bit faded, but otherwise it was in as good a shape as it had been before this floor had started being covered in water. He expected that in a few more hundred centuries all these works of art would begin to be ruined by the ocean water. But he was determined to enjoy it until then. "Because although there were violent storms that caused the ocean to rise up, the ocean doesn't always rise with that same violence."

Roy tilted his head to listen to the voice clearly echoed around him, moving on to another sculpture as he did so. "I suppose you've a point… and I'm guessing that the people who once lived here were just that good at architecture?"

"Something like that." Edward smiled, running a hand down along the carved ash frame of the painting, and after a moment, added. "This may not make much sense to you, but water is as soft as it is hard."

"Probably not the same sense it makes to you." Roy conceded, and taking another lengthy look around him, suddenly did a double take on one of the wooden carvings. He never remembered deciding to go over to it, he was just there before it even registered to him that he'd moved, and his head was tilted wonderingly to one side as he raised a hand up to brush fingers over the glass-like smooth surface of the mahogany carving.

It was taller than he was, some of that coming from the platform it was set upon. The same platform having kept it safe from the water thus far. Why wood rot, or swelling of the wood, hadn't set in from the moisture in this room was beyond him, but Roy wasn't about to argue facts. Not when his lover was a selkie.

Speaking of selkies, the carving was a perfect likeness of a seal. Graceful curves looking as real as what he was familiar with, the body arched in a playful pose, and large eyes that mirrored the playfulness of the posture with perfection. The bottom of the carving was the only section that strayed from the perfectly sanded and smooth surface of the rest. The carved seal was leaping from the water, and that water had been left as a rough hewn rendition, giving a perfect contrast to the sleekness of the seal, and the fracturing of the water as it broke the surface.

"Have more of an affinity for my other form than you let on?" Edward teased as he snuck up behind Roy to wrap his arms around the man as best he could, considering the scuba tank was involved in the embrace also.

Roy's hand drifted away as he smiled. "I love you no matter how you appear, you know that. But even if I could get my mind past it not being bestiality, I seriously don't know how that would work."

Edward burst out laughing at that point, and drawing away he stepped around to lean in and draw Roy down for a loving kiss. "Don't worry about it. I've never had sex the other way before, so I'm partial to this form. And you."

"I should hope me." Roy grumbled just to tease, grinning into Edward's reproachful but happy look. And looking back at the carving he considered it thoughtfully. "It's really quite exquisite though."

"You've never called _me_ exquisite." Edward grumbled, though he had to agree. It was a fine piece of art.

Roy laughed, but quickly attempted to soothe his lover's ruffled feathers. "You are. Had I not known your age better, I'd have said this was carved with you as the model. Even though it's not quite to scale, you are a bit smaller – _OW_!"

Edward was smirking as he watched Roy rub at his head where he'd smacked his idiot of a lover. "You were doing fine without that last part."

Roy rubbed at his head with an affronted glower, "but I like how small you are. Haven't we been over this already, you crazy selkie?"

"Doubtless. It's not the first time you've called me small." Edward agreed.

Eventually they turned away in order to tour the rest of the room, although Roy knew his attention to these lost artifacts was mainly centered around that carving. He couldn't explain it, but he felt it had something to do with his new appreciation for things that reminded him of Edward.

So it came as no surprise to him, and as an amusement to Edward, that at the end of their tour when they were about to leave to go explore a coral reef that was supposedly nearby, that they ended back up in front of that mahogany seal carving.

Edward thought about it a moment, only to quickly step up onto the raised platform with the carving as he made his decision. "Help me." Was all he said before he began pushing the carving towards Roy.

Roy startled, but quickly raised his hands up so that the weight fell into his hands, instead of on his head. "What are you doing?" He asked as he shifted his hands around to grip the large carving better.

"It should recover just fine out in the sun." Edward was smiling as he picked it up at the other end. "You bought me a gift, and while I can't buy you one… I've no money, you like this as much as I like that seashell seal. So we're taking it home with us."

Roy's mind stumbled away from everything else to do with it, except that one last comment. "You consider it home?"

Edward paused, looking across the length of the carving with a fond expression for his human. "I've never had a home before, not like you think of a home. But with you… you are my home. In every sense of the word. As long as you are in that cottage, it is my home."

Roy was suddenly tempted to just drop the carving and lay Edward down on that raised platform and show him _exactly_ how that confession made him feel, but as it was, he settled for making plans to show him when they got home. "You have siren characteristics yourself."

Edward only laughed, and shooting the human a teasing look, he helped Roy carry the carving away. He knew he'd be paying for it later, for flustering Roy like that. Not that he would at all mind paying the price Roy would demand.

It took mostly Edward manhandling – rather, selkiehandling – the carving down into and underneath the water as they prepared to leave. And he was burdened with most of the effort of pushing the wood down against its natural tendency to float. He left the guiding of it up to Roy, knowing that his human understood that he had his flippers full at the moment trying to outwit and outmuscle a piece of wood much bigger than him that wanted nothing more than to surface.

If either of them had thought that getting it back down to where they'd come in from had been a struggle it was nothing compared to the muscling both of them had to do to get it out the broken doorway. It was a strange sight to be sure, yet eventually they managed to get it out far enough that it was stable so much as to let Edward release his end in order to help make more room for the base to fit through by slamming himself into part of the still-standing doorway, causing that door to open just enough to fit the rest through as sand floated up, disturbed.

After that, Roy let the entire thing go, and the carving shot up towards the surface.

Almost instantly Edward was at Roy's side again, and he wrapped his arms firmly around the slick grey neck. And just as swiftly as the wooden seal carving had risen, Edward brought them up as well, surfacing them nearby where the carving was now beginning to float in towards the sandy inlet thanks to the current on the surface.

"You didn't hurt yourself doing that, right?" Roy asked as he slipped his arms from around Edward's neck and slipped fully into the water on his own.

Edward whuffled, golden eyes sparkling in amusement as he bumped Roy's shoulder lightly with his head.

"Should have known." Roy smiled, reaching a hand out of the water to caress the top of the selkie's grey head. "Come on, you. Let's get that up on the sand to dry, and then you can show me your restraint among hundreds of tasty tropical fish."

Edward splashed his way up to the sand thinking that he'd much rather have a tasty Roy, but he could have that later. He knew that he needed to take Roy to the reef before the lighting became too poor.

Between the two of them, muscling the mahogany carving up onto the sand was a simple affair. It was dripping wet, but the strong sunlight would take care of that. After making sure the carving was stable, they both grabbed quick drinks from the bottles they'd opened earlier, and Roy stuffed down a quick snack before following Edward back out into the surf.

Moments later he was hanging on closely as the selkie swept them around through the water, heading to a more private coral reef than Roy expected anyone on the island frequented. He was beginning to believe that the world Edward experienced was more often than not, one that was not normally seen by humans.

For the next half an hour or so Roy explored the reef, laughed as Edward chased fish for both of their amusement, and generally attempted to play with the selkie… it just was unfair that Edward was so much quicker in the water than he was.

Only when Roy knew the oxygen tank was starting to run low did he signal to Edward that they would need to return to the surface soon. And they did so shortly after, Edward towing Roy back to the small spit of land they'd moored the dinghy at.

"Don't take this the wrong way," Roy began as he readjusted the arm he had resting over the powerful back, "but it's kind of nice that you have this form to tow my ass around with. I'm tired." He admitted gustily and with a brief laugh. He'd been in the water a while now, swimming energetically at that last, after that ordeal getting the wooden carving to the surface.

Edward glanced back briefly with a fond look, a low trill escaping him in answer. He could never take it the wrong way, and honestly, he was enjoying being able to take care of his human for once. Roy already did so much for him.

When they reached their destination at last, though it was a relatively short distance to travel, they both ended up curled up together on the blanket enjoying freshly cold drinks and some more of the snacks that Roy had packed for them as they quietly talked and laughed together, even if they couldn't be overheard.

It was already turning dusk when Roy, with Edward's assistance, loaded the carved mahogany seal into the small dinghy. The tiny boat groaned under the weight, but held. Hand-carved mahogany was no light substance. So it was with reasonable care that Roy pushed the dinghy back out into the water, carefully climbing into it and arranging his belongings evenly along the bottom as Edward handed them in.

"You could stand to lose some weight." Edward grinned as he handed in the last, sticking his hands on his hips. "I don't want to date a fat human, I'm not that big as you've pointed out. I'd be crushed!"

"Oh, shut up." Roy groused.

Edward laughed gaily and trotted into the water to grab the mooring line and help drag the dinghy forward as Roy picked up the oars. He could practically _feel_ the eye roll the man had given him. But he declined to harass him any further as he dove underneath the water with the line, shapeshifting instantly to grab the line carefully in sharp teeth and put himself into helping Roy get the boat back to the Bay.

Meanwhile Roy comforted himself by mentally replaying on a loop the sight of Edward diving naked into the water.

It took them well past nightfall to finally make it back into the Bay. With the heavier load, even Edward's raw strength of two hundred and thirty-six years had trouble making the journey speedy. But it at least did go faster with the two of them both putting all their effort into it.

Only when Edward deemed that the beach was indeed empty in all directions did he keep helping Roy into the Bay. Had he not felt safe, he would have swam off to make a stealthier appearance. But as it was he helped tow Roy in until his tail was beginning to slap onto soft sand.

It took both of them to drag the dinghy up onto the sand, but once they had they both carried in the easy stuff into the cottage before going back down to the small boat in order to grab up the wooden seal carving and begin carrying that inside as well. It was a task that had them both exhausted by its end, considering they'd been tired to begin with. But it was exhaustion well earned.

They only returned to the beach in order to bring the dinghy back up to the side of the cottage before they entered through the side door. Roy only paused to go close and lock the two front patio deck doors before he wearily, but happily followed Edward into the second room and subsequently the bathroom where they indulged in a long hot shower before falling into bed with twin groans.

Roy only remembered wrapping possessive arms around Edward as the blond molded against him before he blacked out in sleep.

It was late the next morning when they finally managed to drag themselves out of the warm comfort of tangled sheets and missing pillows, they headed in for a long soak in the tub together. Whereupon much water was ejected out of the bathtub at one point. Neither could find it in themselves to mind though, and Roy merely laid down towels to soak up the mess afterwards.

"So where did you want to put it?" Edward asked as he stood before the wooden seal carving. It had handled its journey well, and looked as flawless as it had back in that gallery underneath the weight of the ocean.

Roy wandered out from the bedroom, finishing buckling his belt as he walked over to his lover's side. "I was thinking over by that wall there." He motioned toward the wall where the only other décor was a floor lamp.

And so it was that the ancient larger-than-scale carving found its new home.

**X**

As time is want to do, it began to pass by day by day. Each one of those days finding Edward increasingly more often at Roy's side, such that the only times he began to go back in the water were to hunt or to be with his human. As they had agreed, they shared their life passions with each other as much as they could.

Hiking, swimming and scuba diving, going out for a simple relaxing row, reading, wandering the town nightlife, horseback riding, and even an attempt at parasailing, among others.

The horseback riding had been particularly interesting. At first Edward had been leery about it, having met one kelpie too many, but the knowledge that this was not a kelpie helped him in getting astride and enjoying himself.

It was nearing two months that they had been together, and the crowds were finally beginning to thin as the main summer vacation season at the island began drawing to an end. But they didn't notice other than the observation that now, more often than not, they had the beach of Seolh Bay to themselves. Even Roy's neighbors hadn't shown up. Not that he was sad about that. They both were enjoying each other too much to care about the rest of the outside world so long as they were able to maintain Edward's anonymity as a selkie from it.

But it was around this time of near summer's end when they were made more acutely aware just what part of the season they would soon enter. Made acutely aware of just how long they'd been together.

Edward had checked for any other humans before he came out of the surf, dragging with him by the mouth a rather impressive black sea bass. They were always in ready supply, and just not quick enough to escape him.

Roy looked up as he spotted Edward at the top of his line of vision, the letter he'd been reading falling limply in his grip as he smiled. "That's a nice one."

Edward smirked smugly as he raised the fish up by its mouth to give it a wiggle. "Hey, you said one big enough for the both of us. I can usually eat a more medium sized one on my own." And he trotted up the few steps to join Roy on the deck, turning to sit on the top step with the man as he laid the fish aside for now. "What's that?" He asked curiously, nodding towards the letter in Roy's hand. "You rarely get mail."

Roy glanced back down at it, "it's from my realtor. Suggesting I try to potentially rent this place out during the seasons I'm not here." He folded the letter though with a minute shake of his head. "But she's just hoping to get more business for herself by suggesting it. The place is mine though. I don't want anyone else but you living in it."

However, Edward was not thinking about that last part. His attention was more for the former as he turned searching eyes on Roy. "Are you leaving soon? When were you going to tell me?" He asked quietly, uncertainty nagging at him.

Now that it was brought up, he realized it _was_ approaching that time that he and Roy would have to part ways for a year at the least, three years at the most. And it was knowledge that made something inside him sink like a rock to weigh heavily in his stomach.

Roy let the letter fall from his hand, not caring where it might come to rest as he turned Edward's chin so the selkie was looking at him. Looking at him with those troubled golden eyes. And he quickly shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere without you. That's why I've not brought it up."

Edward blinked at him, not understanding. "But, Roy – "

"This isn't quite how I'd pictured asking you this," Roy interrupted with a somewhat apologetic look, "but… do you remember you once asked me why I couldn't stay on this island? Why I would one day leave?"

"Yes." Edward frowned, "pointless human concerns."

"Would you still think it pointless, if the reason I would leave was to stay with you?" Roy's tone was entirely serious as he held the startled gaze of his lover.

How and when Edward had gotten to his feet, or how he'd ended up pacing the sand in front of the deck steps, he didn't know. "But, you can't, it's impossible, I mean, you just… how?" He ended, whirling to face his human still on the deck.

Roy stood, going down to the sand to take Edward's hands in his. "Just answer me one thing, if I could stay with you for the rest of my life, would you want that?" He already knew the answer, how could he not? But he still needed to hear it, in a way that made his heart pound in anticipation and that stupid slight amount of worry that Edward wouldn't want what he was offering.

Edward stared up wide-eyed, feeling fainter than he ever had. It was all he ever wanted, to stay with Roy day after day just as they had been. "Of course!" And then he lowered his gaze as he said quietly, "I love you."

Roy's smile showed some relief as he pulled Edward to him to embrace the one he loved. "They build some fairly fast sailboats, sandy little angel." He whispered over blond hair. "I'm the one who wanted something new for his life because I wasn't happy. And then I found you." He continued softly, "and the life I want is a life with you."

Edward eased himself away only enough that he could look up at Roy in stunned amazement. Still not really sure he could believe what he was hearing. "You're sure? I mean, that the sailboat could keep up?"

Roy chuckled, placing a kiss to Edward's forehead. "As if you'd abandon me out there. But yes, I'm fairly sure. I know selkies like to be free, to travel the oceans. Anything else seems like imprisonment to me, and I could never do that to you. But I do want to stay with you."

Edward was still a moment, before suddenly he leapt up to embrace Roy tightly even as he kissed the man, hard.

When the kiss finally broke, Roy panted for breath through his laughter, grinning broadly at the elated blond in his arms. "I take it you're okay with the idea?" He teased, and was suddenly under the pleasurable assault of eager kisses as Edward dragged him down to the sand.

And over the next few days, Roy spent much of his time on the telephone arranging for the selling of all his worldly possessions. In the meantime Edward had been picking out sailboats he thought would be the best to handle constant voyages and still have enough room for the both of them. After all, he had over two centuries of experience out in the true ocean. He knew what awaited out there, and he knew how much room he required in a bedroom with Roy.

Nothing was due to be finalized soon, as they needed to wait for Roy's possessions back in Alabama to sell before he could purchase the sailboat. He knew that negotiations were taking place, and he suspected that was the only thing that kept Edward settled.

Roy knew that the selkie was eager to take to the oceans again, this time with each other.

"Would you even have been able to leave me?" Roy asked one morning as he had his coffee while Edward drew lines in the condensation of a chilled glass of plainly brewed tea.

Edward blinked up at his human, before tilting his head in question.

"The thing that kept you coming back to me. Your impulses and the current. Did that ever go away? Would you not have been driven insane if we'd tried to separate?" Roy provided in curiosity, surprised a bit that he hadn't thought of it sooner. What with Edward being by his side closely anyway it hadn't really mattered.

Whatever answer Roy had expected, it was not for Edward to blush a brilliant shade of red.

Edward felt himself only turn redder as he said, "it vanished the night we made love."

"Oh." Roy stumbled, and then grinned as Edward only turned redder. "Why, Edward, are you embarrassed that apparently you needed me to – " he broke off in order to duck an ice cube pelted his way.

Edward shifted primly in his seat as Roy began to laugh, and sent him a sly smile across the couch. "Your ego just doesn't need any stroking."

Roy arched an eyebrow invitingly. "Perhaps not… but if you wanted to stroke – " he ducked another ice cube with a broad grin. "Sorry." He laughed as Edward shook his head amusedly at him. "So it seems I was the one you were meant to find after all."

"So it seems." Edward echoed in half-trilled content agreement. "For whatever reason." And his eyes on his human were filled with fondness as he smiled, "you were wrong though."

Roy grunted in question.

"You're not, "nothing special", Roy Mustang." Edward told him happily. "You're the only human to ever win my heart."

Roy could only smile for a moment, and then he was laying aside his coffee in order to accept a suddenly moving Edward into the circle of his arms. "My beautiful angel…" he was able to murmur before Edward had stolen his lips in a tempting kiss. A temptation he quickly took as he brought his hands up to tangle in silken blond hair while slowly deepening the kiss. And he drank in the soft noises of Edward's approval as he was pushed firmly down into the cushions.

He could finish his coffee later.


	4. Chapter 4

_These are the times of dreamy quietude, when beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean's skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember, that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang._

_- Herman Melville_

The days of the tourists had passed now. Not one remained as a straggler, and the town nightlife had been extinguished in favor of not losing money due to a lack of uninterested buyers. The bars were still open, yes, but they contained fewer patrons, those who lived on the island. And those that lived seasonally on the island, like much of those involved in tourist revenue operations, had already left to other places to continue their business elsewhere until the next summer.

The native dwellers of the island called this the hibernation season. A time to bunker down with what you had and wait it out until next summer, both a decrease in money, and the coming tropical storms.

Two days ago the selkie pod had left the area, heading back out to the open ocean on their home current. Trisha had stopped by briefly to say goodbye to her son, and wish them both well. She had heard their plans, and knew that while Roy was planning to follow Edward out to sea, that it didn't mean her son would rejoin the pod.

In fact, she knew he would most likely not. Not until the passing of years brought his chosen human's death. So she had said goodbye, and wished them luck before her departure, knowing that she was leaving her son in good hands for the next coming century.

As for Roy and Edward, they were both still deeply invested in their plans. Plans that were coming along so well, that despite Roy now having to screen his phone calls to avoid friends and family members asking him what the hell he thought he was doing, that Roy was fairly certain they'd be able to set out before the end of September.

Edward was anxious to follow the current, but he knew he could wait that long. He would be more anxious being parted from Roy.

It was a help though, that they were able to go out every day into the Bay and farther for a swim. And Edward had discovered a new delight in pelting around through the water as Roy tried to hang on for something the man had deemed a 'rollercoaster ride'. He wasn't quite sure what a rollercoaster was, but he imagined it had something to do with making Roy turn fun shades of green.

Today, though, was not one of those days.

He and Roy were fishing.

Edward had led Roy out to one of his favorite spots to find fish earlier that morning, and for the better part of the day Roy had been trying to teach Edward how to use a rod and reel. After lunch had passed them by and neither of them had caught one fish, Edward promptly gave up and dove into the water despite the lunge Roy had made to restrain him.

Giving a quick spin onto his back, Edward clicked in laughter as he watched the shadow of Roy somehow manage to flail its way back into balance inside the rocking dinghy, and for a moment he considered capsizing the vessel, but chose against it considering that Roy would make him go retrieve their lost belongings from the ocean floor.

So instead he twirled in a backwards arc in order to swim down towards where the fish normally were. But he only got halfway, not even to the end of the fishing line when he noticed that they were gone. Which struck him as odd, being that they had been there that morning.

Tilting his head he trilled in confusion before looking around him. There weren't any dolphins in sight, orcas, sharks, or even barracudas for goodness sake. So why had the fish decided to up and leave?

Puzzled, and not sensing anything that would tell him why, Edward swam back up to the surface.

"I see you didn't get one cheating like that either." Roy said as soon as he saw Edward break the surface, and reaching out he braced the dinghy as he helped the blond in.

"I could have eaten it already." Edward retorted with a bit of a smile, though it faded as he settled himself back in the small boat. "The fish are gone. And not killed and eaten gone, I'd have picked up on the smell of blood. But just gone. There's nothing else down there either."

Roy however didn't seem too concerned. "Maybe it's me. I'm sure they've seen fishing tackle before and know what's up."

"Well they've seen a seal hell bent on sinking teeth into them before too, and they didn't run off the whole time I was hunting them out here." Edward replied as he wrung his hair out and sighed. "I guess we can try farther towards the national park area. The fish might not be so alert to human methods of hunting."

"You might have to hunt us both food for the rest of our lives." Roy laughed as he picked up the oars.

"Lazy human." Edward chided fondly as he relaxed over the side of the dinghy to watch the water pass by.

As it turned out, the entire day passed without a single fish, and Roy was forced to turn back to Edward's laughter about his abysmal hunting skills.

However he made up for his laughing at Roy that night, and it was no surprise to him that by the time he finally fell asleep that he wasn't tired because of the day spent fishing.

They didn't head back out into the water until around dusk the next day, having spent most of their day in various sections of the bed, or in the bathtub with each other as they waited for more news on when they'd have the money to purchase the sailboat that Edward had already chosen from a vendor on a nearby larger island.

This time they merely swam out, Edward helping Roy past the worst of the breakers until they could swim and splash around unhindered by potential surprise waves. And it was during a lull in one of their frequent water fights that Edward floated over to Roy who was resting on his back as the water gently rocked them up and down.

"I'm going to miss being able to swim with you, you know, the times the current takes us somewhere too cold for you." He said, treading water slowly to stay afloat.

A low chuckle escaped him as Roy turned his head enough to see Edward. "Can I at least count on you coming aboard some nights to keep me warm?"

Edward flushed through his smile. "All nights."

They floated in silence a bit longer before Roy broke it. "I never expected my life to turn out this way." He spoke quietly, his eyes fixed up on the stars above them.

Edward too had at one point flipped over to float on his back, and he hummed thoughtfully before asking. "Didn't think you'd fall in love with what you humans call a mythological being?"

"And follow him out to the ocean?" Roy added with a faint smile. "No. But that's not quite what I meant. I didn't expect that one day I'd ever find someone like you." And he softly continued, "I spent all this time searching for a flicker of life in people, a fire to them. But any I found was just… temporary. And then when I find you, you're neither a person nor someone I thought I'd ever be allowed to love. And you're as fiery as the damn sun."

Edward laughed at the last, "I guess when you've been alive over two centuries you get a bit of spirit to you."

"I'd say." Roy muttered, still well aware of some of the things Edward had said to them back before they truly became friends.

"I was born on a night like this, you know." Edward mused as he stared up at the dark sky dotted with stars and the wispy beginnings of clouds. "Except it was a lot colder… up near Greenland."

"You can remember stuff like that?"

"Of course I can." Edward closed his eyes with a slow exhale of breath. "I remember everything that's ever happened to me since the night I first saw the ocean and the stars. Every single thing."

And for a time, there was silence again.

"Being with you has been my happiest memory."

Roy didn't say anything, only reached out to take Edward's floating hand in his. Feeling that anything else would be inadequate, and he knew he'd chosen right when those fingers weaved between his to tighten with a possessive, yet tender grip.

Eventually they both righted themselves in the water, ready to head back to the cottage. And Edward lost no time in swimming around to Roy, offering him a ride back into the beach.

Roy took the offer of the assistance with a smile, wrapping his arms around the slick grey neck. And he hung on just tight enough as Edward moved them in towards the beach, the gentle bobbing up and down of Edward's swimming now a soothing and familiar sensation to him. Almost enough to lull him to sleep at this time of night, but he knew Edward would tease him mercilessly for it.

They were nearly halfway back into the Bay when suddenly Roy was tossed from Edward as a violent wave smacked into them. And the irony that this was now twice that Edward, of all creatures, had gotten caught off guard by an incoming wave was dimmed slightly in the light of the fact that he had crashed under the churning water.

He wasn't even really sure which way was up or down, the sand from the bottom was so whirled up into the water from the wave. And he quickly made that _waves_ as he was flipped again roughly through the water by the current.

Yet even as he fought to figure out which way was up, he remained calm, knowing that Edward had to be out there somewhere close. Even as he was tossed around by another wave. He could hold his breath up to four minutes, he knew that Edward would find him before then if he was unable to see through this murk himself, much less get out of the hold the current had on him as it dragged him about.

Edward meanwhile had just broken back to the surface, spluttering and coughing for breath as he frantically looked around. Sharp barks calling for Roy fell on just the crashing of more waves, and he fought to stay above the water as he was shunted around.

Yet as still Roy did not surface, Edward began to panic, and without a second thought he quickly dove back under despite the risks. He didn't care if he could get caught in the worst of whatever nasty current was now tossing the ocean and him about, if Roy was down here the human was in danger. Roy wasn't the one who could sleep a whole night underwater!

It was difficult to see in the murk of the tossing water, but Edward could at least make out vague shapes. And as he struggled against the current, he looked frantically for Roy, wide-eyed and trembling in his panic.

Yet every which way he looked, he couldn't spot the man at all, and he began to tremble harder as he fought his way back up to the surface. Breaking the water he gave several short barks again, before letting the next wave toss him back under as it slammed into him.

Roy wasn't there.

But he had to be here! He was running out of time!

And then, suddenly, Edward spotted him. It was the briefest movement of four limbs that he would know anywhere, and Edward tore through the water straight for him. He didn't care that breaking through a current this violently strong and even more now that he was going deeper, had already torn one of the muscles on his left flipper. He kept going.

Roy was beginning to have the sinking feeling that he'd been being dragged down deeper this whole time, when suddenly he was half-slammed into by a grey blur. The water roared in his ears, and he fought to keep holding his breath as he was forced upwards against the bruising current and soon thereafter the crashing of the white-capped waves as he broke the surface.

Edward immediately moved under Roy, who collapsed down around his neck coughing and gasping for breath. His own worried trills joined the mix of noise as he fought to keep them both above the surface, not minding that Roy's hold around his neck was almost choking.

He was trembling far too much from relief to care.

"Thanks." Roy managed in between coughs, and braced himself as another wave that had to have at least been over five foot crashed down around them, tossing them forward as Edward fought to keep them from tumbling through it and becoming separated again.

Edward managed to right them before the next wave, and began to swim as best he could with his injured flipper in towards the beach, letting the forward current help. Yet the closer they got, the worse the waves became as they hit the breakers closer up to the surface. And the water crashed in around and against them with bruising force.

Yet Edward fought to keep them above it.

Roy kept a tight grip on Edward, knowing that he'd be no help here. All he could do was hang on, and stay out of the way of Edward's flippers and tail. The selkie was fighting hard to keep them both above the water as much as possible, and he knew that Edward was no lightweight.

They had perhaps only six more yards to go, when they were both jerked back under.

By what, Roy never saw.

Edward let out a high-pitched shriek as he felt Roy release him, twisting back around away from the surface to find his way back to his human. He couldn't leave Roy alone! A human had no chance in whatever freak squall had just hit the Bay. He was a selkie and even _he_ was struggling! There was no way he could abandon Roy, no way he would anyway.

He found his way back to Roy, despite the strain and struggle set upon him to do so. The man appeared to be caught in some sort of downdraft in the water, one that was pulling him fast back across what distance Edward had managed to get them.

By all rights this didn't make sense at all! Where the hell had these waves come from, and how was it that the current was just as strong, if not stronger, underneath the surface?

Yet Edward didn't have time to think. He had to get Roy out of the water before he could think.

He was nearly there, when suddenly the current seemed to suction against them both.

Roy was flung backwards, and yet before he could even register what had truly happened, suddenly Edward had slammed into him vertically, having been propelled forward by the dragging current.

The moment Edward felt Roy wrap his arms around him again, was the same moment he saw the jutting rocks racing towards them. The same moment he prayed Roy not to let go of him as he whipped them both around vertically.

The resounding crash shattered the topmost rocks from the jutting pile.

Roy was nearly tossed away in the impact, yet he clung to Edward, panic rising in his throat as he registered what had occurred.

…what Edward had done.

A pained whimper escaped Edward as he shuddered through the agony lancing through him. Yet he bit down on Roy's shoulder to keep his human there with him as he braced them against the rocks. His entire body shivering as pain began to send him into shock.

But Roy was safe.

It must have been before Roy could no longer hold his breath that suddenly the water began to calm back to normal. And despite how his vision kept failing, Edward pushed them away from the rocks to get them back to the surface. Feeling as if he'd never swum slower in his life.

They both surfaced with gasps for breath, and Edward's were laced with coughs that began to trickle blood into his mouth and drip into the water.

"Edward!" Roy gasped, spluttering for air at the same time he twisted out of the selkie's hold.

Edward trilled at him affectionately, brokenly. Relief filling him along with pain.

"_Edward_!" Roy cried out as the selkie began to slip back underneath the surface, and frantically he grabbed for his lover, hauling him back up despite the fact it nearly shoved him under the water to do so. "You're practically immortal, remember? You remember that!"

Edward lifted his head weakly, blinking weary golden eyes at his Roy.

"We're going to sail around the world for the rest of my life, damn it!" Roy continued as he began hauling them back to the shore as quickly as he could. "I'm not doing it without you, so come on!"

And threat by threat, confession by confession, Roy managed to get them both back to the beach. Trying not to let the panic that gripped him show on his face as the blood only continued to trickle faster out of Edward's slackened jaws.

The moment he could touch the bottom, Roy quickly grabbed the grey seal body up in his arms, splashing at a near run out of the surf until he hit dry sand untouched by the freak waves. It was there that he quickly lay Edward down as carefully as he could, panicking as he dropped to his knees beside the selkie.

"You've got to change back! Please! I have to call a doctor, not a veterinarian!" Roy pleaded, hoping Edward was actually lucid enough to understand.

Edward blinked up at Roy, his brain hearing the words to which he responded with a blood-muffled trill and a fit of coughing that sprayed him with a fine sheen of red.

Roy was never more glad to see Edward shapeshift than he was now. And any relief he might have felt was undercut by urgency. "Stay there, I'll be back as soon as I call." He rattled off, and had made it halfway back up to his feet when a surprisingly strong hand caught around his wrist.

Edward met the startled, panicked gaze that was turned on him as he smiled weakly. "Too late… for me. Stay with me." He whispered lovingly, pressing something into Roy's hand before he let his own flop back down to the sand as he took a shuddering breath that wracked his entire body.

Shock had driven away the pain, and now, now he could only gaze up at Roy with pure unwavering love.

Roy had looked down at the object in his hand, and the tears he'd been fighting back until now began to form as he saw what it was.

Edward's sealskin.

"No… _no_!" Roy looked to Edward sharply, his hand clenching around the sealskin. "It's not that bad, you'll be okay! You little idiot."

Edward felt himself soften at the words, "I love you."

It was those three words that broke Roy, at the same time they broke through to him. Making him realize what he didn't want to accept… and the tears began to escape his eyes as he settled down in the sand next to Edward. "I love you too." He whispered, leaning down to rest their foreheads together. "You shouldn't have done it. I can't… what am I without you?"

"You'll always have me." Edward whispered in return, raising a shaky hand to brush it against Roy's clutching his sealskin. "You're the only human… I love you, Roy."

Roy's frame shook as silent tears wracked his body, and when Edward murmured a request to be held, he couldn't help but comply. Carefully holding his angel to him as he whispered sweet words into the damp blond hair, lightly petting the soft skin as he tried to soothe Edward through the last.

Not knowing it was Edward trying to soothe him as he soaked up the feeling of Roy holding him and gently rocking him back and forth.

There was nothing to be done for it, they both knew it whether they wanted to accept it or not. Edward's body had been too broken by that impact in a body where bones easily snapped. The internal bleeding and the filling of blood into his lungs was incurable… and Edward didn't want to waste what little time he had left with Roy on pointless attempts at a rescue.

Edward knew when he felt the pull of blissful sleep that it was time… and he let out a shaking breath before tilting his head back to gaze up at Roy with only love and trust in his eyes. "I love you… don't cry… please, don't cry…" he whispered as he tried to brush the fast-falling tears away from his love's face. "I lo – "

Roy silenced him with a kiss, drawing away only to hear the last precious syllables fall from Edward's lips before the golden eyes slipped shut as the last breath left the broken body. And he drew Edward's unresponsive form to him tighter now that it wouldn't hurt the selkie, broken sobs shaking him as he rocked them both back and forth as his tears splashed into golden hair.

**X**

_Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation._

– _Kahlil Gibran_

The tracks of tears had dried on Roy's face, though his eyes still shined in the moisture building there as he lay Edward's body atop the stack of dry tree branches and brush. In his hand he still clutched Edward's sealskin, unwilling to let it go for even a moment.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to happen." Roy whispered as he brushed the drying hair away from Edward's peaceful looking face. "But I… I…" he took a shuddering breath, "I guess if this is… I'm saving you centuries of pain. I just – !"

He broke off as a dry sob wracked his body, and he clenched a fist to his face as he fought back fresh tears. "_Why_?"

But no answer came, and after a moment Roy was forced to draw away from his pained confusion.

"I love you, so very much." He whispered, bending down to brush a kiss to the cold lips as a few tears finally worked themselves free. "My sandy little angel."

And then he forced himself to draw away. Knowing he needed to do this, as much as it tore inside him to do so. But he would rather this, than anything else.

Edward couldn't be buried, he had no identification, and Roy didn't want to do him the dishonor of burying a selkie in the ground. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to just toss his lover into the ocean. Like some cast off.

No… this was his only option. The only way he could think of to set Edward free.

It didn't take him long to start the flame, and he tossed the match into the wooden pyre Edward's body rested upon in endless sleep. And he had to fight back the stupid hopes that Edward might still be alive, and he was killing him, to realize that Edward wasn't coming back.

And fresh tears fell freely from his eyes as he watched the roaring flames consume the pyre and Edward, his hand clutching at the sealskin as he stood there numbly. Edward had asked him not to cry… but right now, it was an impossible request to keep.

So he cried, anguish sending him to his knees as he cried out uncaringly as he cradled the sealskin to his chest.

The only distinguishable words to be heard being "I love you."

**X**

…_Two days later…_

Roy Mustang stood with dark eyes fixed upon the tame sea, so flat, like azure glass. So serene looking, beckoning… but that was the lie, wasn't it. The promises of serenity the sea laid before man were far too like the water of its creation, slipping through your fingers until all you had as a memory of what you'd once held was the dampness on your palms and the sting of salt in the unseen cuts it left behind.

The purr and cutting of a truck engine outside caused him little pause as he watched the ocean laid bare and distant before his eyes. The knock at the side door even less pause of mind as he absently called that it was open.

"So let's get this – damn, Mustang! How far back did this place set you?"

The black-haired man in question didn't shift from where he was slumped elegantly against the frame of the patio deck doors that were thrown open to welcome in the warm sea breeze. "Not enough." He muttered, not really caring if he was heard.

It had sounded like a rhetorical question anyway, and sure enough his best friend, Maes Hughes, didn't miss a beat in his ovations.

Maes was currently having a face-off with a wooden statue of a seal that was nearly as tall as he was. "It needed a better interior decorator."

Roy bristled at the words, tearing his gaze away from the décor in question and blindly staring back at the ocean with hard eyes.

"Why are you selling it, anyway?" Maes asked, unaware of the hard set of Roy's shoulders.

Roy's eyes slipped closed against the painful wrench inside that threatened him with the tears he'd promised he'd never shed. "Doesn't matter." The words even tasted flat in his mouth, and sudden inspiration drove him over to the table along the wall where the decanter of port sat waiting for him.

Maes frowned as he watched Roy toss back not one, not two, but three shots of the alcohol in succession without so much as a blink. "So…" his mind stumbled in circles as he searched for a way to ask what was clearly wrong and not to get his head chewed off.

A likely occurrence if Roy Mustang was suddenly downing port like it was water.

"Oh for fuck's sake just get the boxes so we can start packing and I can get the hell out of here!" Roy snapped at him, the hand nursing his fifth glass of port shaking somewhat.

He watched as Maes gave him a calculating look before turning to go back out to the truck to get the boxes in question. His head tipped down with a sigh – Maes wasn't offended, they both knew each other better than that. But he cursed himself for giving the man a reason to pry later on.

One thing was for sure… he was going to need another glass of port.

As he idly poured it he found his eyes drawn to the wooden seal, arching up out of hewn waves with graceful curves and large playful eyes. His own eyes slipped closed once more as he felt his heart seize painfully in his chest.

"At least… you're free…"

When at last Maes came back with the boxes, having taken his time in order to puzzle over what could possibly be eating at Roy, he found the man standing at the patio deck once more. This time, spinning a length of grey leather he'd not noticed before around his wrist. But he ignored the oddity that his friend was wearing a strange accessory in order to ask, "so what are we packing first?"

Roy slowly turned, and not even really seeing his friend, he walked over to pick up the seashell seal off of its shelf. "Just this. My books," and he nodded towards the mahogany seal wood carving, "and that."

Maes opened his mouth, about to question the man further about how that couldn't be _all_ his friend wanted. Yet he decided to pack everything anyway, knowing that the ferry ride back to the mainland would be a good time to get all his questions answered.

And as Maes began to busy himself with packing, Roy stole a small box and several sheets of bubble wrap to cradle the seashell seal in, sealing the box carefully. And standing up with it in hand, he looked up at the seal wood carving, feeling a lost smile come onto his face as he nodded. "I promised I'd keep it safe for you." And he looked down to the sealskin around his wrist, his eyes wet with unshed tears. "My sandy little angel."

_There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief… and unspeakable love._

_- Washington Irving_


End file.
